Instant Family
by katydid13
Summary: What happens when Danny and Lindsay acquire an instant family in the form of her niece? D/L Flack/OC
1. Chapter 1

Instant Family

AN: Thanks to my betas. You know who you are.

* * *

Danny's POV

If you had told me a year ago that I'd be spending my Saturday night in a pizza joint in Queens, watching my girl and her soccer team celebrate a win, I'd have said you were crazy. But here I am sitting with Flack and his fiancée Megan O'Riley, the girl's soccer coach at Georgetown Prep, chaperoning a bunch of teenagers.

You see, last May, Lindsay's oldest brother Mark and his wife Suzie were killed in a car accident leaving behind their daughter Anna, who was almost 14, and had just finished eighth grade.

So a year into our marriage, about the time the Lindsay and I were talking about tossing her pills and trying for a baby, we became instant parents. Between the need to re-order our life to accommodate a teenager (something our one bath co-op just couldn't do), Lindsay's grief, and Anna's grief, we decided we'd wait on the baby for awhile.

Lucky for us, Don Flack came to our rescue. He found us a house that had everything we wanted near an excellent co-ed Jesuit prep school, and was able to pull some strings to get Anna admitted. His oldest brother, the priest, Tony (named after his grandfather) was a priest in the parish associated with the school; and his youngest sister Kathleen was an English teacher. They had introduced him to Megan, history teacher and soccer coach.

While Lindsay and I had both gone to public school, and believed in public schools, it was hard to find a spot in a good school after the process had finished. Besides, with all the upheaval in Anna's life we thought a smaller more nurturing environment might be better. The high school years are tough and both Lindsay and I have seen how much trouble one wrong turn can put a kid in. Besides, a couple of the public schools I went to visit scared me. Apparently, they don't have dress codes anymore; or if they do, I can't imagine what would violate them. Anna actually has to wear clothes to school and Lindsay and I don't have to be the bad guys.

A nudge from Flack, brings me back to the present.

"Hey, Dan, Megan says those aren't Georgetown boys getting friendly with the girls. Don't they seem kind of old to you?"

"Yeah, I think it's time we go make the rounds," I reply.

Flack and I walk over to the group of tables where the girls were sitting. As soon as they saw us walk over, the boys began to scatter, where Don followed them.

"Are you ladies having a good time?" I ask.

The girls nod and smile. Some even say "Yes, Mr. Messer."

I haven't been able to convince them to call me Danny. Hearing teenage girls call me Mr. Messer makes me feel old. And Lindsay and I are the young, cool parents. Most of Anna's classmate's parents are ten or more years older than Lindsay and I. We aren't cool in the let them drink beer at our house cool (except for what is in the fridge all the alcohol is under lock and key), but in the still have reasonably hip taste in music and clothes sense. Also, we haven't been parents long enough to break ourselves of swearing occasionally. Lindsay is trying to break me of that, pointing out that if we have a baby, I'm going to have to watch my mouth or we will end up with a kids who yells "shit!" in church.

"I just wanted to remind you that your parents should start coming to get you in about half an hour. Does everyone have some way home that's not by yourself?"

The girls all assure me that they have someone to go home with, so I head over to sit with Flack and Megan.

As I sit down, I notice that the boys from earlier are gone. So I ask Flack, "what's with the boys?"

"Oh, I just noticed they were all wearing Chelsea University gear and decided to remind them that girls under the age of 18 are off limits to them; and that as officers of the law, you and I couldn't ignore any behavior that could potentially corrupt minors," said Flack smiling.

Megan laughs and says "I hope you keep using those powers for good. Remember though someday an age appropriate boy is going to ask Anna out. You can't stick a gun and badge in his face. She'll never forgive you."

"Can't we keep her from dating until she is 35 or so," I ask.

"You mean older than Lindsay is now?" asks Flack with a smirk.

Luckily, Flack is saved from what would certainly be a sarcastic remark from me, by arriving parents. I like to check and make sure all the girls leave with someone and aren't sneaking off somewhere.

Then I hear it. My least favorite soccer father-- Councilman Andrews who sits on the public safety committee. Nice daughter, nice wife, but he's kind of pompous.

"Detective Messer thank you for providing a police escort for our girls. Where is the other Detective Messer tonight?"

"Lindsay was on call and got called in. Luckily, she got to see Anna play," I replied.

"Well, that is one disadvantage of having your kids so young. You don't have much control over your schedule, and you both have to work. It must have been so much worse when Anna was younger," said Councilman Andrews.

I took a depth breath. I can't believe he was trying to imply that Montana was a teenage mother and I was some jerk who knocked up an 18 year old when he was twenty.

"Yeah, I wouldn't know. We got Anna almost fully grown. She's Lindsay's niece. Besides no matter how much seniority we have, being a CSI isn't a 9 to 5 job. Lindsay's out working with the head of the crime lab, Mac Taylor, because she does some of our best blood spatter work," _so there you jerk I think._

Clearly, Megan senses my frustration because she steps in.

"Councilman, how good to see you. Becky played a great game today. She's a joy to coach."

Then she waves Don over and begins again:

"I'm not sure you've met my fiancé, Detective Don Flack."

"Of course I've met Detective Flack. However, it's always nice to see one of the cities heroes again. I didn't realize that you and Coach O'Riley were engaged."

"Nice to see you again too, Councilman. Megan and I have been engaged about three months now. We are planning a Christmas wedding."

Luckily, we are saved from further conversation by Becky dragging her father out the door so they get home in time for something. Becky's a nice kid who clearly knows her father is an ass.

Later in the car on the way home, Anna had questions for Danny. "Uncle Danny does it bother you that people think I'm your daughter like Becky's dad did?"

_Crap! That's the last thing I want Anna to think. Kids really do hear everything. _

"No Anna, I'm proud to have people think you are my kid. It was just that Becky's dad was implying something not very nice about how old Lindsay would have been when you were born," I answered.

"So what you don't like is someone implying that you knocked up Aunt Lindsay when she was 18 and you were 20?" asked a smirking Anna.

I just laughed realizing that the kid had been putting me on.

"My dad said that when I was real little and Aunt Lindsay used to baby sit for me during her school vacation that she threatened to have a t-shirt made that said 'She's my niece, not my kid.' He said he felt that way too when Aunt Lindsay was a baby. I'm sure I'll feel that way when you and Aunt Lindsay have a baby."


	2. Chapter 2

Flack's POV

I really hate my fiancées job right now. It's not the high school soccer games. Those girls are good, and fun to watch. It's not even the after parties, although I have to say that those are more fun since I've got Danny and Lindsay to hang with.

No, it's that my wonderful fiancée just had to teach at Catholic high school and live by the school where all the neighborhood busybodies can see who comes and goes from her place and when. I'm in my early thirties, and the faculty and staff of a Jesuit high school, are running my sex life. And I get messages about it from my oldest brother and my youngest sister (and roommate of my fiancée).

I never planned to spend the night at Megan's, with Kathleen being her roommate that's just too creepy to think about. I didn't even expect her to spend the night at my place on school nights; since school starts early and it's a long commute. However, I did think that she might spend Friday and Saturday nights at my place.

She spent the weekend with me once and I heard from Kathleen and Tony that people in the neighborhood where surprised with they found out she wasn't out of town and started making noises about her suitability as a teacher. Well, really only one old bat busybody but she can rile everyone up. Megan loves the kids she teaches, and has enough deep seeded Catholic guilt that she doesn't want to take any chances.

After Megan and I got engaged, I figured we were home free. We'd find a new place somewhere away from the school that gave both of us a reasonable commute. Megan would move in and I'd keep my place in the city for appearances. Two things happened that spoiled that plan. One was that the school was caught up in a scandal over whether or not to fire a single, pregnant teacher. (Who they decide not to fire, so they could demonstrate forgiveness, compassion, and respect for life. Someone pointed out that wouldn't it have been worse for her to have had an abortion because of fear about her job.) The second was that the perfect house for us came up for sale, but it was in the neighborhood of the school.

Megan and I bought the perfect house because it really is the perfect house for us and the family we want. I like the idea of our kids (who aren't on the agenda anytime soon) growing up in the parish where their Uncle Tony is the priest. We moved Megan into the house, and I very conspicuously headed back to my place every night.

I can't until our wedding, so when I take Megan to bed with me and we can stay the whole night. I also had a talk with Tony and told him that if one of the neighborhood busy bodies starts digging through our trash and starts making noise that Megan is on the pill that I will find something to have them indicted for. Tony laughed at me and assured me that it won't be a problem. He pointed out that in the parish, the average family has 2.3 kids and the only family of more than four includes a set of twins and a set of triplets. He did suggest that Megan and I sign-up for natural family planning classes. I rolled my eyes at him and reminded him that Megan nixed that idea.

I hate my fiancée's job because at a little before midnight after making love to her, I'm getting up and dressed to drive back to my place.

It's like living in the dorm and dealing with roommates and visiting hours. However, the beautiful Megan Caitlin O'Riley, soon to be Flack, is most definitely worth it.

As I'm getting ready to leave my phone rings. I'm being called to a scene. A very large multiple traffic fatality that included someone being thrown or jumping off an overpass into traffic. It's going to be brutal.

Just after that, the house phone rings and it's Danny asking if Megan can come stay with Anna. Lindsay's not going to be home anytime soon and even though Danny is the back-up, back-up, back-up call they need him. On a school night, he might have left Anna alone; but on weekends, he and Lindsay felt like it was asking for trouble.

As Megan gets some things together before we head over, I think about what it's been like to see Danny and Lindsay become parents to a teenager. It wasn't that hard to picture Lindsay. She's a nurturer by nature. She's mentored Adam and the lab techs and seems to approach the mom/aunt thing the same way.

Danny is a different story. It's hard for me to use Danny Messer and responsible grown-up in the same sentence. Granted, we both had reputations as players, but neither of us fully deserved them. I mean, come on, look what we put up with when we found the right women. If we were really those guys would Danny have waited as long as he did for Lindsay, would he have flow out to Montana? I doubt it. And if I were really that guy, would I put up with not being able to spend the night? Of course not.

I always thought of Danny with kids as being all about the fun, with a protective streak built in. I had no trouble picturing him playing ball with his son. I had no trouble picturing him keeping the boys away for his daughter (after all we were teenage boys once, we know what they want). However, it was making sure that homework was done, that dinner was made, and that lights were out by a reasonable hour that I didn't see.

Danny has taken to this dad/uncle thing like a duck to water. He's still sarcastic and irreverent. He can be over protective as hell, but I think that's the hazard of cops as parents. If there is a way for good teenagers to screw up, we've seen it. Danny has an uncanny ability to enforce the most important rules in a way that isn't heavy handed without sweating the small stuff. He doesn't get drawn in to arguments about why an American teenager in the Queens needs to know about ancient history or isn't it hypocritical that the cheerleaders skirts are far shorter than regulation uniform skirts, but they get to wear them to school on football game days. He's quick to point out that life isn't fair and sometime you just have to do things.


	3. Chapter 3

Megan's POV

Anna Monroe is one of my favorite kids. I know, I'm not supposed to have favorites and I think I hide it well. Any extra time I spend with her is only because her guardians and my fiancé are close friends. Her Uncle Danny and Don have been friends since they were rookie cops.

Anyway since Don was leaving no matter what, I was happy to go over to the Messer's to keep an eye on Anna. Although, I would imagine she'd probably zonked out after today's game.

At least, I won't be lying in bed smelling Don's pillow wishing that I could stand up to the busy bodies and he could stay. It's not like Don and I are the first Catholic couple in the history of the world to have sex before we were married. I don't think there is anyone in our pre-Cana class who wasn't (not that it was an official subject for discussion.) I think Father Tony is still a little upset that he couldn't even get Don and me to take the optional natural family planning course. Now, if it was just a matter of sitting through the course Don and I would have been good sports and done it. However, they want us to practice making a temperature and mucous chart which would have made it clear that I'm on the pill. I don't intend to put up with a couple months of bad cramps and my skin breaking out just so Tony can at least say he convinced his brother to give natural family planning a shot.

Don and I drive the few blocks to the Messer's quickly. As I get out of the car, Danny comes out the front door telling me that Anna's asleep, there are clean sheets on the guest bed, and I can help myself to anything in the fridge. I get inside and decide to read a little before going to sleep.

* * *

Lindsay's POV

Sometimes, I wish that blood spatter was not what put me on Mac's radar screen. I've been painstakingly trying to figure out who did what to whom; with what, and in what order, for hours now. It's coming along, but I won't be getting home tonight.

At least I got to see Anna play soccer. As much as I deeply miss my brother; and wish I could give Anna her parent's back, I'm really enjoying having Anna living with us. Danny Messer was meant to be a father. He's an excellent soccer dad, and believes that Anna can do whatever she wants. He's already talking about all the cool places she could go to college. This is why Anna lives with us and not either of my brother's in Montana. I love them dearly, but, they married women who can't imagine that there is anything in the world besides being a ranch wife. Suzie wanted Anna to be encouraged to dream. She could be a ranch wife, if she wanted, but she had to know that there were other things out there in the world.

Maybe Anna's getting settled in enough for Danny and I to think about having a baby? I'll need to talk to Danny about that. That was our plan originally, but you know what they say about plans.

* * *

Anna's POV

The dreaded alarm goes off. I guess I better get moving if I want to make it to Mass on time. Although, it doesn't sound like anyone else is up. Maybe Lindsay and Danny are still asleep after a very late night? I bet they can't expect me to go to Mass if they don't.

Of course just as I'm pondering skipping Mass, Coach comes and tells me to get going. The two of us are going to Mass. I guess Lindsay and Danny got in really early this morning.

I'd rather be back in Bozeman, with my parents, but since I can't have that I guess living here with Lindsay and Danny is pretty good. Living with my best friend Olivia and her family in Bozeman would have been my first choice, but it's better than living with either of my other uncles and their kind of dippy wives.

Coach isn't too bad either. Her fiancé is very good friends with Danny and Lindsay, so I see lots of her. Sometime she stays with me when Lindsay and Danny have to be away too long. She's pretty cool and she doesn't act like she is babysitting; more like she is hanging out in case of an emergency. Her fiancé Don is hot and really nice. Someday I hope a guy like that loves me the way that Don loves Coach or Danny loves Lindsay. I think my dad might have loved my mom like that but I don't remember them as newlyweds. I wasn't even around until they had been married a couple of years. I don't remember them ever as being as all over each other as Danny and Lindsay. Sometimes I get the feeling that Danny and Lindsay would have more sex in more places in the house if it weren't for me. They take lots of naps and come out of their room looking relaxed but not rested. Plus, there is something about the pool table that I don't think I really want to know . . .

I thought one of the plus sides of living with my young, relatively cool aunt and uncle would be that I would have gotten away with less church. I mean they lived together for a long time before they got married. They clearly don't agree with the church on everything. But no, they are just as strict as mom and dad were about going to Mass and they put me in Catholic school. In Bozeman, I got to go to public school. Granted if there was a Catholic high school, I probably would have gone to it.


	4. Chapter 4

Lindsay's POV

"Anna is all your homework done?" I ask my niece.

"Almost, I've about ten pages to read for religion and then I'm done."

"OK, as long as you get it done before bed," I reply.

With that maternal duty out of the way, I settle in to watch the Giants game with Danny and Anna. Sunday night football is an important ritual in our house. I'm grateful for anytime Anna is willing to spend with Danny and I. I'm sure as she gets older she'll want less and less to do with us.

Watching Anna watch football is like seeing my brother. She picked up his mannerisms and his way of talking to the players on TV. However, she's picking up some of Danny too. In response to a Giants touch down, Anna and Danny yelled "boom," simultaneously.

The Giants are victorious and family time is over. Since Danny cooked, it's my turn to clean-up the kitchen. I think Danny is going to start some laundry and Anna goes off to finish her religion homework.

I do the dishes, clean-up the kitchen and pack lunches for everyone. I like packing lunches for Danny and Anna. It gives me some hope that there is a chance they are eating a reasonably healthy lunch.

I look at the clock and realize that its bedtime in the Messer household. So I go upstairs to Anna's room to say goodnight and I find Danny standing in the doorway reminding Anna that she needs to get off the phone and go to bed.

My husband is such a good father. It amazes me. I always knew Danny had the potential to be a wonderful father, I knew that he would love his children more than anything. I could see him playing with them and protecting them. What I never would have guessed how instinctively hands on he is, with everything. I guess I was sort of expecting him to be like my father and be kind of oblivious to the every day running of the running of the family unless nudged into noticing.

I begin to get ready for bed myself. When I hear Anna leave her bathroom, I go to her room and to say good night to her. I give her a hug and say like I did when she was little and I babysat for her "Goodnight, sleep tight Anna Banana."

I find Danny in our room stripping down to his boxers and undershirt to go to bed. I climb in bed and wait for him to join me. After we kissed goodnight and were settled in our usual "go to sleep" position, with my head on Danny's chest, I decided to bring up the idea of a baby.

"Danny, I think it's time to revisit the baby issue. I love having Anna in our family. You are such an incredible father to her. I can't wait to start at the beginning with you and not just come in at the end. Plus, I'm not getting any younger, especially if we want the option of a second one."

"Montana, if you are ready and think Anna's settled in enough for us to think about adding a baby to the mix, let's do it. Thanks for the compliments. I think you are an amazing mother. I feel like you do the hard work. Anna goes to you when she's upset or confused. I mostly just drive her places, go to soccer games, and occasionally help with homework."

"Danny, that's just it. You do all sorts of stuff without thinking. It never would have occurred to my father to remind me it was time to get off the phone and go to bed, unless my mother asked him to. You help me parent not just with the big stuff, but with the little stuff and I don't even have to ask. It's natural that Anna comes to me with more things. I'm sure if we have a son he'll talk to you about stuff he doesn't talk to me about."

At that moment a picture of a baby boy with the light blond hair Danny had as a baby and blue eyes went through my mind.

_At the same time Danny was envisioning a little girl with brown eyes and reddish brown hair. He'd sing her "Brown Eyed Girl" as a lullaby or a son that he could teach to play baseball. He realized that Lindsay would point out that he could teach a girl baseball, but if she wanted to play on teams she'd end up playing softball, which just isn't the same._

"So Linds, how are we going to do this? I mean I know how we do this, but you know do you just flush the pills or what?"

"Well, Danny, I'm glad you know how we do this, because I have to say you are very good at it. I think I'll make an appointment with my doctor and make sure that everything is OK before we start trying. I'm about due for a check-up any way."

"Do ya want me to come with ya?" Danny asked.

"No thanks. We can save that until I'm actually pregnant. An annual exam is undignified enough without you watching. Not that you won't see me in less dignified moments while I'm in labor, but I'd like to put that off as long as possible. Besides, I really don't want anyone to know until we are successful and Mac at least would ask questions if you need time off to go to the doctor's with me."

"Well, then," said Danny sliding out from under Lindsay and moving to kiss her "why don't we start practicing the fun part of this?"

All I could do was moan as Danny began to kiss me and slide his hands up under my pajama top. It amazed me how quickly Danny could turn me into a puddle of goo. The sex with Danny has always been amazing, but I have to say that it got even better after we got married. Maybe my mother was right and there is something about the security that comes from making a public commitment like marriage. Oh what this man does to me!

* * *

Danny's POV

I wake up early and just stare at my wife for awhile. This woman does things to me that I never thought possible. Hearing her tell me she wanted to have my kid was one of the sexiest things ever. That's something I could have never predicted. I mean I knew I wanted kids with Lindsay and I was pretty sure we'd have fun making them, but I never expected that hearing her say she was ready would make me want her so much at that minute.

Of course, I also never thought that getting married would make our already incredible sex life even better. Obviously, I wanted to marry Lindsay. She's my rock and I can't imagine my life without her. I guess I just assumed that things would get less hot over time. Boy was I wrong!

Granted since we've had Anna, we are less adventurous about some things. For instance the pool table hasn't seen anything besides pool since then. However, I have to say that my back and my knees appreciate our nice bed, making taking Lindsay on the pool table or up against the wall as soon as we get inside less appealing even if we didn't have to worry about being seen. However, I'm very thankful that our bathroom is attached to our bedroom and not shared with Anna. I'd miss baths and showers with Montana.

I know it's important for Anna to see adults in a healthy, loving relationship. I'm perfectly comfortable letting Anna see everyday affection between Lindsay and I. I'm comfortable letting her see us argue over the things that any two adults who love each other and live together argue about. But, running into her after sharing a shower with Linds would be too much, for all of us I suspect.

OK, I admit that I didn't know that it was important for Anna to see all that stuff until Lindsay read some parenting books and told me it was, but it makes sense. If Anna sees that people who love each other sometimes disagree and it's not the end of the world she'll know that's how relationships can work. I hope we don't give her a screwed up idea of relationships. The books Lindsay said I should read about teenage girls were an eye opener. The social world of girls is like a minefield.


	5. Chapter 5

**Megan's POV**

Don and I had dinner together, but of course he needed to leave. Well, he could have stayed a bit longer, but I have papers to grade and lessons to plan. I have three sections of 11th Grade American History, two section of Political Science/Economic which is 12th graders, but in theory as an elective it's open to anyone, and then two sections of 9th grade girls PE. Coaching is actually its own separate job because there aren't that many people who are both good coaches and good teachers. I like to think I do both well.

I was originally kind of opposed to single sex PE classes (and opposed to teaching PE) but that's the way thing had always been done here and two more sections of PE were needed and I was qualified to teach them. I'm having lots of fun teaching my two PE classes and after observing the results I've decided that single sex PE is not a bad thing. When adult men and women play things like soccer together there is an agreement about a level of play and how competitive it will be. That doesn't exist among high school kids, so you can end up with say one of the boys who starts on the varsity soccer team who is playing like he is starting varsity and a girl who is a complete klutz and much smaller than he is. Single sex classes don't take away the difference in athleticism, but at least the size differences go away and the girls by themselves are less competitive.

In history, we are going to talk about why the Articles of Confederation failed. That has scandalized Sister Martha, one of the few nuns on staff. It's October and she's barely gotten to the pilgrims. I just don't see the point of spending lots of time on the explorers. Much of what is in the textbook is conjecture. I'd like to make sure that we get through the Vietnam War if not Watergate by the end of the school year. While the foundations of the country are important, it's more contemporary history that will help my kids understand the social and culture trends they live with. Of course when Sister Martha started teaching Vietnam was current events. Luckily, Father Tim, who is chair of the social studies department, supports me.

In political science (spring semester is economics); I'm going to be working through bits and pieces of the Federalist papers. The class is really more American Government/Civics that political science, but I think it's a good class. I don't actually expect to get through much tomorrow. It's inevitable that someone will go off on the fact that the founding fathers were a bunch of male chauvinist racists. I usually shock the class by agreeing with them. Then I point out that they were products of their time, but even with there limited understanding of who the all in "liberty and justice for all" was, designed an amazing political system based on ideals they failed to live up to.

Now I get to grade the pop quiz I gave in political science yesterday. It's about legislative process aka "How a Bill Becomes a Law" and includes a little who's who's in Congress. Most of my kids do pretty well, but some of the wrong answers on the multiple choice questions crack me up. You would think they would learn that if they watched "I Love the 80s" or "I Love the 90s" they could eliminate outrageous choices. Ferris Bueller is not the Speaker of the House. Kirk Cameron is not the Senate Majority Leader. And the Senior Senator from New York is not Alex P. Keaton. I make them get all tests signed by a parent and those choices amuse us. Since they amuse the parents they tend to talk with their kids a little. Maybe not about history, but about something.

After grading the tests, I'm concerned that some of them still don't fully understand legislative process, so maybe we'll have to postpone the Federalist Papers for some School House Rock, which is where I first learned legislative process. Like much of Generation X, I learned history, civics, and grammar while watching Saturday morning cartoons.

I get ready for bed and think about my wedding. It's early October and the wedding is the week between Christmas and New Year's. Almost everything is planned. It will be a morning wedding in our parish church. Father Tony will preside. The reception will be lunch food (deli trays and the like) in the parish hall. Kathleen and my cousin Mary-Ann who was also my best friend growing up be my bridesmaids. My uncle will walk me down the isle. Don will have Danny and his childhood friend Patrick, who is now his sister Theresa's husband, stand up with him.

Some people think we are having a simple wedding because my parents died when I was in college so there is no one to throw it for me. My aunt and uncle offered and so did Don's parents, but we wanted to be able to invite the parish, my kids, most of the cops Don works with and not worry about it. We are more interested in starting our marriage than planning a big fancy wedding. Once we explained it to them Don's parents and my aunt and uncle were supportive. They insisted on helping with some of the costs. There was some discussion of how to word the invitation, but I put my foot down and said I wasn't anyone's to give away so Megan Caitlin O'Riley and Donald Joseph Flack, Jr and their families Edward & Karen Conners and Donald & Maura Flack are doing the inviting.

Interestingly enough for a relatively informal wedding we have a large wedding party most of whom are under eight. Don's other two older sister's Bridget and Theresa each have three kids, two girls and a boy each. I knew the girls were dying to be flower girls and it turned out the boys wanted to be ring bearers (although I won't care if they bolt at the last minute). So Madison, Annika, Elinor, and Emily would be flower girls, while Tyler and Jack would be ring bearers

Enough day dreaming about the wedding, I must sleep.

**Anna's POV**

I meet up with Hannah who has become my best friend here in New York in homeroom. I didn't get to see her all weekend because she was visiting her grandmother in Connecticut. Her parents have this weird thing about family time and pretty much confiscate Hannah's and her brother Josh's cell phones for the weekend so I didn't talk to her either.

Hannah said that it was just a typical trip. They ate, watched movies, went for a walk and played dominos before bed because her grandparents love it. I miss doing kind of dorky stuff with my grandparents. I used to see them all the time, but not anymore.

In English class, I notice that Chris Miller keeps looking at me when he thinks I'm not looking. Chris Miller plays on the boy's soccer team. He's cute, smart, and seems nice. He's friends with the popular boys, but is quieter and more serious than they are. He lives one block beyond where I do. I wonder if he likes me? That would be kind of cool.

I've never had a real date or real boyfriend before. It would be kind of fun. I wonder how Aunt Lindsay and Uncle Danny would react. I think Aunt Lindsay would be pretty cool, but I'm not so sure about Uncle Danny. He doesn't seem to trust boys very much. Maybe I should point out that it just shows a misspent youth?

**Don's POV**

I hope Megan's up for dinner tonight. I need to see her and hear about her day. I need to be reminded that her kids are "the rule" and girl gang members I just dealt with are the "exception."

My pager goes off. Crap! The girl died from her injuries so there is no way I can fob this off on the gang unit. It's a homicide. One we probably won't be able to close. This girl, a 15 year old girl, was so desperate to belong that she agreed to be "jumped in" not just by the girls, but by the connected gang of guys. Some boys, but some old enough to be men. "Jump-ins" were brutal enough, but this one involved both being beaten and raped to the point where the injuries were deadly. Well at least they had plenty of DNA. I'll have the gang unit start to round up suspects.

Time for lunch. My wonderful Megan packed me a lunch to take home last night. Maybe, I'll take it out to the park to eat. It's a little cold, but I need to get out.

I'm sitting on a park bench eating my lunch watching little kids play on the playground equipment watched over mostly by nannies, but some people who could be moms or dads. They look to so happy and energetic. I hear a voice behind me.

"So you and Megan thinking of having a couple of ankle biters like that?" asks Danny as he sits down with a lunch that Lindsay obviously packed for him

"Probably, in a few years. I'd like some time with just us you know." I reply.

"So I hear you had a pretty brutal case? Sometimes, I just don't know about this city. I mean the Tanglewood Boys were brutal, but they wouldn't have organized this. Not that they were know for their great respect for women or anything . . ."

"Yeah, sometimes, I don't know. Are you and Monroe thinking about rugrats?"

Danny is trying not to smile and says "that's Messer you know that right? You stood next me to me when she said 'I do.'"

"She'll always be Monroe to me," I tell Danny. "Besides, what is up with you?"

Then a light bulb goes off in my head and the smile makes sense. "Is Lindsay pregnant?"

"No she's not, but last night we talked about it. Flack, she'll kill me for telling you this, but I need to tell someone, she's going to see her doctor soon make sure everything is good and then we'll start trying,' says a grinning Danny.

"That's great man. But wait, is there any reason to think everything's not good?" I ask.

"Nah, apparently its something you are supposed to do. It makes sense though. Apparently, it will be a couple more months too, Lindsay said something about probably having to wait a couple months to get the hormones from the pill out of her system," answers Danny.

Danny and I finish eating and head back inside. I'm a little cold, but feeling a little better about my day.

**Danny's POV**

I can't believe that I told Don about starting to try. It just spilled out. Lindsay's going to kill me if Don doesn't keep his mouth shut. This process is more complicated than I thought. Not that I thought about it much, I thought more about the not getting a girl pregnant side. Any way, I didn't realize that there was stuff to do to prepare to try. I wonder how Lindsay knows this stuff? It's not like we have lots of friends with kids.

I need to get changed and get to court. I hate wearing a suit and tie. It's just not me. Plus, they probably won't get to me today anyway, but I have to be ready. Lindsay's in court too, but on a different case.

**Lindsay's POV**

OK, I told Danny not say anything about starting to try, but I had to talk to someone so I called my old college roommate Becky. She's already got one child so she's a good source of advice. Beside, she's a Spanish professor in Michigan. She's not going to tell anyone we know.

Well, I need to get ready for court. I can't believe I have to go for this case. The guy confessed. The forensic evidence is the icing on the cake. They the only reason they want me is that juries think forensic evidence is cool.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

**Megan's POV**

These girls are really into this field hockey game. Look at Anna Monroe, she's got the ball and a pretty clear shot. Except there comes Sharon Jones.

All of sudden Anna was on the ground and she wasn't getting up. She was just lying there holding her knee which looks like it's an odd angle. Shit!

**Anna's POV**

My knee!! This pain is the worst I've ever felt. This is bad. This is really bad, my knee looks really funny and is swelling. There is no way I can get up.

**Megan's POV**

I rush over to Anna and tell the other girls to back off.

I send someone off to my class room to get the plastic case with the soccer team files in it. All of Anna's medical information and her contact numbers are in there.

Anna looks at me with tears in her eyes and says "it's bad coach. I've never hurt this much before and I'm not sure I can straighten it."

I send a second girl to the office to get an ice pack and Father Tony or someone else in administration. I suspect that we are going to be calling an ambulance. Anna's knee is clearly deformed. I don't want to try and move her.

I send a third girl across field get the boy's gym teacher Craig Brooks. He is out there with his class. He is the boy's soccer coach as well as a math and gym teacher. I'd like his opinion and for him to take my class if I go to the ER with Anna.

**Anna's POV**

Coach O'Riley looks worried. She keeps telling me it will be ok and to take deep breaths, but she looks worried. It hurts so bad.

**Megan's POV**

Father Tony and Craig Brooks agree that we need to call an ambulance. Father Tony does that on his cell phone. I grab Anna's file from the case that Carol just brought over. Smart girl, she brought my purse from my desk too. I'm glad I gave her my keys.

I dial Lindsay and it goes straight to voice mail. I dial Danny and it goes straight to voice mail. Luckily, Don is an authorized contact. Just as I am dialing him the ambulance pulls up. Father Tony talks to them, while I talk to Don.

"Don, it's Megan. Where are Lindsay and Danny? Anna fell and hurt her knee. We are going to be taking her to the ER by ambulance."

"That's awful. Both Lindsay and Danny are in court. I can't have them pulled out unless she is dying or something. Isn't there a form with her soccer stuff that authorizes me to get her care in an emergency?"

"Yeah, Don there is. Can you come?

"Sure, honey. I'm just doing paperwork."

Thanks, Don. Hold on a sec, I'll find out where we are going."

As I tell Don, Father Tony asks me to ride in the ambulance with Megan; technically we can authorize care for her, but hospitals like it better when it's not the school making the call. He tells me are going to Our Lady of Mercy.

"Don, we'll be at Our Lady of Mercy. Meet us there."

I get into the ambulance with Anna. A paramedic is trying to start an IV so he can give her some morphine. He keeps telling here "control your breathing, control your pain, deep breaths in, deep breaths out."

"Anna, both Lindsay and Danny are in court, but Don is going to meet us at the hospital and they'll get in touch with us as soon as they can."

Anna smiles a weak smile at me.

**Don's POV**

After I hang up with Megan, I call Mac as I walk out to the car. I don't really want to leave messages for Danny and Lindsay that Anna is in the hospital. Mac agrees to get messages to Danny and Lindsay as soon as possible,

I only break 50 of the traffic laws on the way to the hospital. While, I don't drive a marked car, any traffic cop knows it's a police car. I'm safe. I want to break out lights and sirens, but there is really no reason to. Now if I had hit traffic, you can bet I would have. I don't like the way Megan sounded.

**Anna's POV**

I hate needles because I have bad veins. At least that's what everyone says when they have to draw blood. This IV doesn't seem to be going well.

"Sorry Anna, I can't get an IV start, but we'll be in the ER in a minute," says the paramedic.

Lying flat on my back with my leg splinted in an odd position, I find it hard to look at anything. I just close my eyes.

Even we get to the hospital I do that and let the paramedic and Megan do the taking.

Pretty soon I'm in a room in the ER. Megan hands me the TV remote to pick something while we wait. I settle on a Friend's re-run.

I wonder how bad this is? Am I going get to go back to soccer this season?

**Megan's POV**

Anna lets me hold her hand, but she seems to be in too much pain to talk.

Finally, a nurse comes in and gets an IV in Anna's arm and gives her a shot of Deladed. Anna was rating her pain at a 10 on a ten point scale so hopefully this helps. She seems to relax a bit.

Just then Don comes in. I am so glad to see him.

**Don's POV**

"Hey Anna," I say. "Danny and Lindsay are both in court, but Mac is going to see about getting them out or at least getting them here as soon as possible. Do you need anything?"

"Thanks, Don. I don't need anything," says Anna in a slightly groggy voice that tells me they have started the good drugs.

I sit down next to Megan and drop my arm around her shoulder for a quick squeeze. She's obviously worried about Anna.

A doctor comes in looks at Megan and me and says "Who are you?" I don't like the way he says it.

I answer "I'm Detective Don Flack; I work with Anna's guardians and have authorization to make medical decisions for Anna in their absence. This is my fiancée, Megan O'Riley. She is Anna's gym teacher and soccer coach. She also has authorization to make medical decisions for Anna in her guardian's absence."

Megan hand the doctor the forms that authorize us to provide care and says "keep these, we have more copies."

Finally, the doctor addresses Anna. He asks her to describe how the accident happened. She does. Then he asks her to rank her pain on a scale of 1 to 10. She ranks it about an 8. He promises another dose of drugs before they x-ray her knee. Then he asks Anna "what was the first day of your last period?"

Anna screws up her face to think.

I try to get up and leave, thinking maybe I don't need to be there for this, but Megan doesn't let me move.

Anna answers "I can't remember. I'm not very regular." She's obviously under the influence of the drugs.

The doctor frowns and says "well, then we'll have to do a pregnancy test before we take an x-ray."

I can't believe that he is having this conversation with a 14 year old. I mean I know he should and it happens, but it's Anna.

Anna looks at him and says "I can't be pregnant. I've never had sex. I've never even had a real kiss"

I feel relieved and like I should share this info with Danny. He'd prefer Anna didn't date until she was in her thirties and I have to say I'd support him on that one. Teenage boys are trouble, I know I was one and men in their twenties are worse.

The doctor accepts this answer and says someone will in shortly to take Anna to x-ray.

I watch Megan brush Anna's hair out of her face and help her adjust the pillow. She's a natural at comforting.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

**Megan's POV**

Finally, Anna comes back from x-ray. Then the doctor comes back in.

"Well Anna, you seem to have dislocated your knee cap, we'll pop it back in place and send you home. You'll need to stay off it for awhile and follow-up with an orthopedist. The orthopedist will probably order and MRI. I don't think you did any serious damage to the underlying tendons, but we can't be sure," says the doctor.

Anna nods. Then she asks "When will I able to play soccer again?"

"At least two or three months," answered the doctor.

"Oh," says Anna, her face falling.

"Someone will be in shortly to give a shot to relax you, and then reduce your knee," the doctor says as he leaves.

I look at Anna and say "I'm sorry kiddo; I think you are done for the season, but you should be good to go next year."

This will be a blow to the team, but an even bigger blow to Anna.

**Flack's POV**

The doctor and nurse kicked Megan and I out of the room when they come in to reduce Anna's knee. We were able to stay with her while the drugs took effect. They made her really relax and appear almost boneless.

As soon as we stepped out of the room, my cell rang. It was Danny; Mac had actually gone to wait for the trials to finish and given him an update in person, so Danny found out right away. Lindsay was actually on the stand. I told Danny he should wait for Lindsay and then head home. I explained Anna's injuries and the treatment. I assured them she was going to be ok.

We waited with Anna to get the final x-ray, prescriptions (filled at the hospital pharmacy) and discharge instructions. When we were finally done, I let Megan carry the crutches and wheeled Anna out to my car. As soon as we got in the car, Megan took out her cell and called Tony to let him know what was up. Anna fell asleep once we started to move.

As I carried a drowsy Anna in from the car, Megan was running ahead to make bed on the couch for Anna. I laid her down on the couch and she burrowed in.

My cell rang. This time it was Lindsay wanting to speak to Anna. She was disappointed that she was asleep, but understood. She was a little frantic because she and Danny were stuck in traffic. From what I could hear in the background, Danny would have busted out lights and sirens if he wasn't in their personal car. I assured them that Megan and I could stay as long as they needed us to.

I watched for a little bit as Megan fussed over Anna. She took the brace off and propped Anna's leg up then situated an ice pack on it. She looked at her watch, I assume to note when she put the ice on. Again she brushed Anna's hair out of her face. She pulled the ottoman over next to Anna and put the remote control on it. Meg went into the kitchen and got a glass of water and then set it on the ottoman.

As I watched Megan, take care of Anna, I felt like I was looking at my future. Any kids of Megan's and mine will probably play sports and probably get injured in the process. Watching Megan care for Anna, made it even clearer to me that she would be an amazing mother. I admit I found it a bit sexy, but immediately pushed those thoughts from my mind.

I was pretty sure that both Lindsay and Danny had to testify tomorrow again. I had the day off but was on call. I decided that we might need re-enforcements. My mother had adopted Danny years ago, so Lindsay and Anna were like a daughter-in-law and a granddaughter to her. I thought I'd call her and see if she might be able to help out.

**Megan's POV**

After I got Anna settled, I flopped down on the love seat. Don was on the phone. It sounded like he was talking to his mother. Hearing only Don's side always made me smile because Maura Flack was one of a kind and quite frankly she could reduce Don to a shuffling little boy.

"Ma, no, I'm not alone with Anna. Megan's here."

"Ma, I'm a homicide detective, I think I could handle one injured teenage girl."

"Yes, they think she'll be alright although not in time to finish soccer season. She'll have to see a specialist and have an MRI to make sure nothing is badly torn, but they don't think it is."

"Ma, I'm sure Danny and Lindsay have food. It's Anna that's hurt and she doesn't do the shopping or the cooking. Look, I was just calling to see if you might be available to stay with Anna if no one else can."

"Great Ma, I'll tell Lindsay, and yes, I'll promise to tell her that you can bring food too."

"Bye Ma, I love you too."

Don looks at me and says "I swear she thinks I'm still in junior high. And for course she wants to bring food, because birth, death, and injury all require food."

I smile at Don and say "How many times did your Dad take care of you kids when one of you was sick or injured?"

Don looks puzzled and "are you kidding my Dad would have been hopeless? Ma had to tell him everything to do; besides he worked."

"Exactly," I said. "Your mother sometimes forgets that you're a modern guy. You aren't hopeless and your natural reaction is that a couple will share the responsibility of a sick or injured child. Your mother is thinking of having an injured child to care for, as well as four well ones, while cooking all the meals and cleaning the house."

"You're right," Don replied.

"And the food thing might be a female genetic requirement because I was thinking that we could all use some lunch. Why don't you go pick up some bagels and cold cuts?"

**Lindsay's POV**

Finally, the phone has stopped ringing. I feel like every girl on the soccer team and all the 9th graders at Georgetown Prep called today. Anna's cell was off when she was sleeping, so they starting calling the house to make sure she was o.k.

It's early but the injury and the drugs have really sapped Anna. Danny carried her upstairs to bed awhile ago. He's outside playing some basketball with Don. Megan had to come home and get ready for tomorrow's lessons. The trip to the ER put her a bit behind. Thank goodness for friends like Don and Megan. It's days like this where I wish I had a job that was a bit more normal.

I'm on the computer using the "online patient center" to request an orthopedist referral from Anna's primary care physician, who is the same as mine. Anna's probably one of the younger patients seen in internal medicine, but finding her a new pediatrician at fourteen seemed a bit silly to me. I also request an appointment for me. Hopefully, we can get Anna into an orthopedist soon. I think not knowing how bad this really is will be hard on her. All of us actually.

I look at my watch and see that it is still early enough to call my parents in Montana and let them know what is up with Anna. I don't look forward to that. My mother supports my job, but it's foreign to her. The idea that Danny does about half the housework and about half the child rearing is also strange to her. She was always wanting to know how we are handling things and who is keeping an eye on Anna. Sometimes it made me feel like I just wasn't doing a good enough job with Anna.

Well, I'm not sure how to say that conversation went with my mother. I managed to put her off until we have more details about Anna's condition, but it seems like if she will be out of school awhile my mother is going to insist on coming out to help us. I hope Danny is o.k. with that. My parents make him a little nervous. They really do like him, but he worries about his family background and not being at all at home on a ranch.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

**Danny's POV**

Anna's set-up in her couch bed dozing and I'm trying to relax at little before going in to work. You know read the paper and stuff. Unfortunately, Montana is running around the house like a crazy person cleaning imaginary dirt and worried about the amount of food we have in the fridge because Maura Flack is coming over to stay with Anna since we both have court.

The ringing doorbell signaling Maura Flack's arrival. I let her in and give her a hug.

"Thanks so much for helping us out. We really appreciate it. I'm glad Don thought to ask you."

"Of course Danny, you know that I consider you and Lindsay part of my brood. I'm as happy to look after Anna as I would be to look after any of my other grandkids if they were hurt."

Just then Lindsay walks into the room and says, "Maura, thank you so much for coming."

I go to put a tie on and leave Lindsay to go over all the details. I'm not so sure what Lindsay or I could tell Maura Flack about looking after an injured kid that she didn't already know. Don and his brother managed to pick up their share of sport injuries growing up.

Man, I just realized that if Lindsay has a long list of things written down for someone looking after Anna who is able to talk and stuff, she's going to write a novel for anyone looking after a baby of ours. Hopefully, they will get that 24 hour day care center built at the complex that lab is in for NYPD personnel. I think we'd all feel better if we could check-up on the kid during our shift and have someone to accommodate our crazy hours.

**Lindsay's POV**

A little after 6:00 pm, I walk into the house and things smell wonderful. Maura Flack is busy in the kitchen.

"Maura, something smells, wonderful, but you really didn't have to cook. I could have made dinner."

"Nonsense Lindsay, I know you are an excellent cook, but you've been working all day and I've been here with a girl that's mostly been sleeping. I'm afraid I might have over done it though; I forget that I'm not cooking for my huge brood anymore. Anna's awake. Megan and Tony are going over some school stuff in the dinning room with her."

I think for a moment and say "Maura, if you really cooked for your huge brood, why don't you have you husband Don come early to pick you up and eat with us. We can ask Father Tony and Megan to stay. Maybe even your son and my husband can put in an appearance."

Maura smiles and says "there should be plenty for that. I also made some stuff to freeze. You go invite Tony and Megan, then get changed and I'll track down those men of ours."

I walk into the dinning room on my way upstairs to change to say hi to everyone. Anna's seated sideways at the table with her leg propped up on a chair. Father Tony is sitting next to her and Megan is sitting across from her.

Anna looks up and sees me saying "Lindsay, Father Tony and Coach brought me my school work for the rest of the week. We were just going over it."

"That's great sweetie. We don't want you to get behind. How are you feeling?"

Anna shrugs and says "o.k. as long as I don't mover around too much. The medicine makes me really sleepy."

"Hi Lindsay," says Megan.

"Lindsay, I hope things went well for you in court," says Father Tony.

"Things went pretty well. I think they'll find the guy guilty. Listen, Maura says she cooked enough for her old brood so you both have to stay for dinner. Maura's going to have your father come early enough for dinner when he comes to pick her up and she's trying to see if Danny and Don can join us."

After I've changed clothes, I go into the kitchen to talk with Maura. It turns out that Anna's doctor called today in addition to sending over the referral. Apparently, she told Maura that Anna could go back to school on Monday using her crutches. Anna has an appointment with the orthopedist next Friday. It was the first one available.

**Anna's POV**

Grandma Flack made tons and tons of excellent food and everyone came for dinner. It was nice. I'd been getting kind of lonely stuck in the house with not too many people around. Father Tony is cooler than I thought. And it's fun to watch his mother treat him like a little kid. Coach told me outside of school and soccer, I should call her Megan and that I should call Don by his first name too. I usually just avoided calling him anything. Since it didn't look like Danny would be home anytime soon, Don carried me upstairs after dinner. I am SO jealous of Megan or at least I would be if I were like 15 years older.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**Danny's POV**

I think Anna is really settling in, which is good for her, but I kind of liked it when she was good all the time. She just tried to play Montana and me against each other. One thing that Lindsay and I agreed on early on was that if one of us said "no" the answer was "no." No playing us against each other. Today Anna tried just that for the first time.

I woke up, to find Anna on the couch in front of the tv with her math book open, and a re-run of Law & Order on tv. I meant to say something to Anna about homework in front of the tv, but I got sucked in to the show. One of the actors, playing a college kids caught up in an escort service, looked just like a young Don Flack. It was weird. Anyway, I decide not to say anything about homework in front of the tv. She's a big girl.

As we sit there, Anna starts to tell me how bored she is. I'm sympathetic, I know being laid up sucks. Then she asks me if she can out on Friday night with her friends to some party on Friday night. Just as I'm about to tell her that she is out of her fricken mind, she's not well enough to go to school Friday, so she's not going out, my phone rings.. I pick up the phone and it's Lindsay.

"What Linds?

"I just wanted to talk to you about Anna," she says, prompting me to walk into the kitchen so we have some privacy.

"Well, she asked me if should go to a party on Friday, and of course I had to say no, but I was thinking of suggesting that she have a bunch of friends over for movies and pizza on Saturday. We can keep an eye on her and she's been stuck inside so much," Lindsay continued.

"Wait, a minute," I said "she just asked me the same thing. I was getting ready to tell her she was nuts if she though she was going to be allowed to go out when she's not supposed to go back to school until Monday."

"Well, it looks like she's shopping around for an answer she likes. We need to call her on that."

"Yeah, Lindsay, I'll do that. What about the Saturday thing?"

"Why don't you not mention it? I'm not inclined to reward this kind of behavior, but I'm sure she's pretty miserable. Let's she how she reacts and how the next day or so goes."

"Sounds good, Montana. I love you."

"I love you too Danny."

"Bye."

"Bye."

I walk back into the family room trying to figure out what to say. As soon as I'm in the living room Anna starts in "So Uncle Danny about the party?"

"Anna, you aren't going to the party. You aren't cleared for school on Friday so no party. Besides you need to be careful with you leg until we know more about your knee. I know it's frustrating, but you don't want to end up making it worse."

"Listen, I know Lindsay already told you no. We don't appreciate you trying to get around us that way. Stuff is almost always up for discussion, but if you wanted to discuss it, you should have told me Lindsay said no. And this wouldn't have been negotiable."

"You aren't my Dad! He would have let me go. I hate it here in this stupid place!" screamed Anna in an uncharacteristic way.

"No, Anna, I'm not your dad, but he and your mom left you with us because they thought we'd take care of you. No party. No shopping around for answer you want. And watch the tone."

I get up to leave because I sense that it will only get worse if I stay. The kid is starting to piss me off. Anna's starting to cry.

Upstairs in Lindsay's and my room, I take a minute to think. I know I should have expected Anna to tell me I'm not her dad at some point. I'm sure it is in the angry teen handbook, but the thing is I love her like she's mine. Some time's she's like I imagined that Lindsay was as a teenager. I know Lindsay sees lots of her brother in her. I have to be the adult here. My old man would have come right back at me a cutting remark, his belt or both until I got big enough that I might fight back. I will not raise any child in that atmosphere.

One of the things that the priest that married Lindsay and I made us talk about before we got married was how we were disciplined and what we wanted for our kids. The Monroe kids mostly got the death glare, time outs, lectures about how disappointed their parents were and privileges revoked. There were occasional spankings administered and slapped hands when they were small. Now, I know that there is a difference between Karen Monroe landing a smack on the diaper covered butt of a toddler who was about to climb into the pasture with a bull or a slap on the hand of a kid reaching for a hot pan and the kind of beatings my dad dished out. But I really want to keep my cool with my kids, I'm afraid of slipping down that slope. Lindsay says she doesn't think I could but agreed that we'd try to avoid spanking.

Even though I knew the kind of marks abuse can leave on the outside of a kid, I never really thought that my family was too much out of the ordinary. It was Don Flack who made me start thinking otherwise. After a child abuse case that left a child dead, Don once mentioned he never understood how anyone could hit a child. Apparently, Donald and Maura Flack raised five kids and never laid a hand on them in anger. It was a strict house though. Maura Flack still has her kids on there toes and Don Sr. commands respect. I was kind of shocked; I always thought that maybe my dad went a little overboard, but that that's how you raised kids at least back then. Then I started thinking about things that happened in my house through the lens of my training. Those beatings left welts and bruises that lasted for days. The kind of thing we are trained to look for in kids. It also could happen over anything little or big, which isn't normal. It made me wonder if my dad hit my ma. I never saw it, but it would make sense. I never asked, I didn't think it would do any good. I never told Don any of this.

I've calmed down enough to go see what is up with Anna. She's lying on the couch with her face buried in the back of the coach and still crying. I sit down next to her saying, "Hey Anna, it's ok, I'd don't think anyone gets through their teenage years without trying this once," I say as I rub her back.

The sobs quiet down and she looks at me saying "I'm sorry Uncle Danny. Both for asking you after Lindsay said now and for what I said."

"I can't believe that had you crying this long, so what else is up?"

"I just kind of couldn't stop. I'm bored, I miss seeing my friends at school, I kind a scared about maybe needing knee surgery, and I thought I was over it but I really miss my mom and dad."

"I hate to tell you this Anna, but you will probably always miss your mom and dad some. That's ok and it's still pretty raw, plus you've got all this other stuff going on. It's scary not know what's going to happen with your knee and being cooped up sucks."

I ended that part of the day by calling Lindsay to catch her up. I was a little worried about the intensity of Anna's crying, but Lindsay swears teenage girls are just like that sometimes.

**Lindsay's POV**

As Danny had once said, we'd know Anna was well settled when she started act like a smart-assed teenager and not a guest. Well, it looks like we are getting that. The crying really unnerves Danny. He's going to have to get used to it, my mom says Anna is just like me as a teenager, if that's the case we are in for lots of tears.

I think Danny also really needs to see that he can go toe to toe with a smart-assed teenager and not lose his temper. I've never asked, but I'd be willing to bet that his dad hit his mom, but even during our worst fights (and we both can be pretty stubborn) I've never been afraid of him. Bad cases sometime have him taking his temper out on inanimate objects, and I've seen him want to slug a perp, but that's it.

I never actually met his parents or Louie. Right after Louie died, Danny's parents were killed in a car accident with a drunk driver. Danny hadn't been really close to them for a long time. I've never asked exactly how "connected" his father was, but I know Danny becoming a cop made a pretty big rift even bigger. Maura Flack adopted him somehow. I don't really know the story, but the Flacks are pretty much my in-laws. I'm really lucky that way.

I'm not quite sure what to do about Anna. I'm not sure letting her have a bunch of friends over if the best thing, but she is getting pretty bored. Maybe I'll see if Don and Megan, as well as Kathleen want to come over for pizza and trivia Saturday night. A little known fact about Don Flack is that he, like all the Flack kids grew up playing trivia games and is very good at it.

All of a sudden it dawned on me that Anna probably never really heard about her dad breaking his leg while celebrating winning the state high school football championship; in a drunken accident no one is quite clear on the exact details of. I should tell her that story. I think I have some pictures somewhere of him in the cast.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**Anna's POV**

I did a really stupid thing today. Aunt Lindsay had already told me I couldn't go out Friday night, but I asked Uncle Danny anyway. They totally busted me! Everything just sucks right now. No more soccer, I'm stuck in the house, I miss my friends, and I miss my parents.

I was kind of surprised that Aunt Lindsay didn't have another lecture for me when she got home. Instead she told me a story about my dad. Apparently, he managed to break his leg celebrating winning the state high school football championship. Lindsay didn't know exactly what he did, but apparently Grandma was pissed! There were lots of ranch chores that had to be shifted around because he did something stupid. Apparently, Grandma arranged for him to be busy while sitting down at almost every free minute. He folded laundry, chopped vegetables and other stuff like that, but then Grandma got creative when that didn't fill enough time. He had to hand address all the Monroe family Christmas cards to her standards of neatness, and sort boxes of photos by date and label the pictures and put them in albums. When Grandma ran out of family things for him to do, she apparently brought home church work. He had to put address labels on, fold and staple several issue of the parish newsletter. He also did the same for the PTA newsletter. Lindsay has a couple of pictures of it. He looks fairly miserable.

I guess I lucked out this time. I have to say that living with trained investigators means I have no hope of slipping anything past them.

**Lindsay's POV**

I am so tired. It was a long day. I'm glad to be heading to bed. I think Anna enjoyed hearing about her father's broken leg incident. It felt good to talk about him. Sometimes Anna is so much like him. Of course, sometimes she is also a lot like Suzy. That reminds me, that I need to talk to Danny about Thanksgiving. Suzy's parents would like Anna to spend it with them and are willing to buy the plane ticket. Now I just need to see if Danny wants us to go too and spend Thanksgiving with my folks. I suspect we won't both be able to get off long enough so we'll have to wait for some non-holiday time. Anna should be fine flying by herself, especially if we book a direct flight.

"Montana, come here," says Danny as he pulls me to him in bed. "Are you sure Anna's alright? She seemed awfully upset for what happened."

"Danny, she's bored, she misses her parents, she misses her friends, and I suspect she's a little worried about her long term prognosis for her knee, but she's fine teenage girls can be a bit dramatic."

"Okay, Montana. You're the expert."

A quick discussion with Danny confirms my fear that there is virtually no chance of us both getting time around Thanksgiving off, so Anna will be off to Montana by herself.

**Megan's POV**

Lindsay had planned a nice night of beer (for the grown-ups), pizza, and trivia, but New York City's criminals decided not to cooperate. In addition to the usual crimes, there was a frat party at Chelsea University that went bad, very bad. According to the call Don got there was least one old fashioned beat the crap out of her rape, some roofies being used, a slew of under aged drinking, and the presence of high school girls. Lindsay and Danny got called in too and this could be a real long night, so I'm here with Anna.

Anna, Kathleen, and I set up an assembly line to address (well put a label on), stuff, and stamp the huge pile of wedding invitations that Don and I need to mail soon. Anna told us all about the Montana weddings she was in when her uncles got married. She was a flower girl or junior bridesmaid several times. Apparently, these wedding were all preceded by very girly bridal showers with games, stupid sexist games. After hearing about this, I can understand why Anna's mother Suzy, who I met at Lindsay and Danny's wedding, wanted Anna to come here to live. Suzy was a large animal vet married to a rancher. I liked her.

Anna and Kathleen told me that the soccer team and some of the girls in my class wanted to throw me a shower. I had hoped to avoid this, but I guess not. Kathleen and a couple of the soccer moms that I like are going to organize it. I guess I'm going to have drag Don out to register for stuff. Target, Macy's and Crate and Barrel here we come. I hope things work out with Kathleen and the boy's soccer coach, so I can get my revenge soon.

Pretty soon Kathleen leaves for a date and a tired Anna drags herself upstairs to bed. She'd figured out how to do it without putting too much wait on her bad leg. You can tell she is still healing based on the amount of sleep she needs. I settle in on the couch to watch a movie and work on the shawl I'm knitting for Don's mother for Christmas. I wonder how Don is fairing. He doesn't do very well with college kids, it's the sense of entitlement and idea that the rules don't really apply to them that drive him nuts. Don's only college experience was at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, which is not a typical school. He's a curious guy and very well read, but I'm not sure he would have lived through some of the esoteric discussion my liberal arts education was full of. He rolls his eyes at some of my women's studies books and is quick to point out that women getting a private liberal arts education are possibly the second most privileged group in American, second only to their male classmates perhaps.

**Danny's POV**

When I decided to become a CSI, taking DNA swabs, blood, and urine samples from drunk college guys was not what I had in mind. This place was pretty much an orgy from what I can tell. I thought I went to some crazy parties in my day, but they seem tame compared to this. It's unclear who ended up ingesting roofies, someone is arguing that it was an attempt to mellow the whole party out not to rape any of the girls. This led to taking urine samples from 30 college guys. Then blood samples are because the university is beyond pissed and wants to press charges against anyone who even looked a controlled substance illegally. Lindsay is doing the girls, plus figuring who needs or wants sexual assault exams, as well as trying to work with Stella to get statements from the girls. Flack is getting the guys' statements. He seems like he is having about as much as I am. These kids are either complete suck-ups or dumb as rocks

**Lindsay's POV**

Stella and I have collected samples and are heading back to the labs. It looks like we do indeed have at least one case of old fashion, beat up her rape and a few possible cases of drug her and rape her, although it's not clear that the guys involved administered the drugs or that they were not acting under the influence of roofies too. I'm glad all I have to do is interpret evidence and not decide who to charge with what.

There were some very under age girls there. One was 15. I thought of Anna. I hope we can keep her safe. Although I like the idea of convent school too.

"Hey Lindsay, did a few of those girls seem awfully blasé about all this?"

"Stella, one of those girls admitted to going down on more guys tonight than I have in my whole life and she's more than ten years younger than I am and I don't think she even liked any of them. I don't want to go back to telling kids that they will burn in hell if they get involved sexually before they get married, but I'd like to think that as a society we could give them the message that you should be out of high school and in some kind of committed relationship first. Although, I have to say from what I've over heard, I think that Anna and her friends are still pretty innocent, which makes me happy. I heard them speculating whether or not Don and Megan waited until they were engaged to go to bed together. One of the girls was convinced they were waiting until they got married. The others seemed split about before or after the engagement."

"Lindsay, you are trying to tell me that these girls think Don Flack waited until he was engaged to a woman before he slept with her?"

"Well, yeah, but remember to them he's the younger brother of the priest that is their principal. Plus, he and Megan work hard to set a good example. Don never spends the night at their house. They don't know the Don Flack of empty headed socialite days."

"Well, it's nice to know that innocence exists somewhere. I might have to come watch more girls soccer in Queens."

"We'd love to have you Stella. We a have teenager with us most of the time and sometimes Don's sister Kathleen. It's not couple time."

"I'll think about it. Let's start getting this stuff processed. It's going to take a long time to run so we can go home while it does that."

**Don's POV**

You know, I was never too concerned with how anyone addressed me, but these are theoretically smart kids, not that I saw any evidence of that, you would think that when being questioned by a police detective that they might go with something a little more formal than "dude" or 'bro." Why was I even on this case? No one died or came close to dying and I'm a homicide detective. I know I go where the Captain says but some days I hate being on his radar.

This case has also convinced me that none of Megan's and my kids are going to go Greek or at least not if we are paying the bills. In fact if we have girls, I think we should look into women's college. So help me God if they ever display the "this is college, not the real world, rules and laws don't apply" attitude I saw tonight. I will not tolerate that.

**Danny's POV**

We'll we got the evidence processing, but it's going to take a long, long time, so Lindsay and I are heading home. Don's got to stay and deal with the brass. Its nights like this, I'm glad I'm a scientist.

Hopefully, Megan didn't have to put up with any lip from Anna tonight. She pulls that outside the family and bum knee or not there will be real serious consequences. I will not have her turning into one of those kids who cop an attitude with authority figures like the ones we dealt with today.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

**Anna's POV**

I never realized how big this school was or how many steps there were in it until I hurt by knee. I also never thought I'd be thankful for uniform skirts, but they really are much easier to wear with this big clunky brace.

I wonder if Chris Miller likes me or if he's just being nice. I was a little late this and I was struggling to get books out of my locker, since they had fallen to the locker floor and I can't really bend properly, Chris stopped and help me load my backpack. Then he carried it to homeroom for me and then from home room to English

Hannah thinks he likes me, but I'm not sure. I mean he's a nice guy. I'm sure if he was the only person around he'd help anyone on crutches. Still, I would be nice if he liked me.

**Megan's POV**

The gossip around the teacher's lounge is that Chris Miller has been very attentive to Anna Monroe. I'll have to watch for that. They could be a cute couple. He seems to be a nice boy. I have his older brother is in my poli sci class and he's a good kid. I've met the parents and they seem like good people. Danny's going to flip if anything comes of it.

**Anna's POV**

I can't believe they are making go to soccer practice and the games even thought I can't play if I want to keep my spot next year. Team spirit blah, blah. It's going to be so hard to watch everyone else play. Although, I guess I'd be here anyway since Megan is my ride home.

The boys will be practicing on the other half of the field. Maybe I can watch Chris. I've never really watched the boys very closely since while our schedules don't exactly overlap, they don't make it easy for us to go to each other's games.

**Lindsay's POV**

I thought last week was going to crawl by. Having a semi-mobile, kind of grumpy teenager around the house was getting old. Anna was a good sport about school and everything, but she couldn't carry anything in her hands and use crutches, which meant she needed help with more things than she would have liked. She's also an active kid so forced inactivity isn't sitting well with her.

Today, I'm going to pick her up from school after second period and take her to the orthopedist. Hopefully, that will go well, but I suspect that he's going to order an MRI, and we'll have to wait for the results of that before we know much.

**Anna's POV**

Well, that was pointless. The doctor looked at me for about five minutes, said I need to have an MRI for them to tell anything, but that I probably won't need surgery. I mean that's good, but I wanted a better answer. The good things is that while I have to wear the big clunky knee brace and I can't do too much walking, I don't actually need to use the crutches.

**Danny's POV**

I suspect that Anna is going to be a little disappointed with the doctors today. From what I've heard, he'll probably tell that she'll probably be fine, but they need an MRI. I wonder what I can do to cheer up my girls. I guess dinner out might work, I'll make a reservation at that Mexican place we all like La Loma.

Anna's just been kind of down because of her knee and she's been snappish and crabby, which tends to make Lindsay snappish and crabby. I'd like to see my girls laugh tonight.

**Lindsay's POV**

I love my husband! Seriously, Danny rocks. He knew that this doctor's visit wasn't going to resolve everything to Anna's satisfaction, so he made dinner reservations at our favorite Mexican place. Now, I'm sitting here getting a little buzzed on the world largest margarita, while Danny the designated driver will sip off the same beer all night. He's making Anna laugh. It's great.

All of a sudden Anna looks down at her plate and blushes, and then she sneaks a look again at the hostess stand. There is a family there. They have two boys who look high school age, I wonder if, yes the younger boy just turned and he is wearing Georgetown Prep Boy's Soccer jacket.

"So Anna who is the boy in the Georgetown Prep jacket you are pretending not to look at?" I ask.

"How did you know?" asks Anna.

"Don't forget kid, she's got the mom radar thing and she's a trained detective, she'll find things out," say Danny.

As I'm about to respond the boy walks away from his parents and over towards us.

He says "Hi Anna. How did it go at the doctor's today?"

Anna smiles kind of shyly and says "He needs an MRI to tell anything, but I can ditch the crutches if I keep the brace. He thinks I won't need surgery."

"That's great about the crutches, and that there is probably no surgery, but it stinks that he couldn't tell you more," says the boy.

OK, that's it I want to know who this is.

"Hi, I'm Lindsay Messer, Anna's aunt. This is my husband Danny Messer."

"I'm Chris Miller. Anna and I go to school together," the boy says now a little nervous.

Anna jumps in "I'm sorry, I should have introduced Chris right away. He's been helping me carry my books and stuff."

"Really?" says Danny. "Thanks for looking out for my little girl." His tone of voice indicates just about anything but thanks.

"It was nice to meet you. I'll see you in school Anna. I should get back to my family," says Chris walking back to his table as fast as he can without running.

"Danny! That wasn't very nice," I say.

"What?" "What I do? I said thank you," replied Danny.

"You know what you did. We'll talk about this later," I said since I'm more interested in what's going on with Anna.

"So what's up with you and Chris? I've never heard you mention him before," I ask.

Anna shrugged her shoulders and said "nothing, I mean I think he maybe kind of likes me, but I can't tell, he started helping when my books spilled and he was the only around."

"What do you mean he might like you?" asks a flustered Danny.

Luckily, the waitress comes with out dinner before Danny could launch into some not dating tirade.

**Danny's POV**

Montana's going to be pissed at me as soon as she comes to bed. I just don't like boys sniffing around Anna. I know what they are like.

As soon as Lindsay comes into the room starts "Nice display, Danny. Am I going to have to hide your gun when boys come over? She's not a baby."

"But she's 14 and I know what guys were like at that age," I said.

"Yes, Danny. She's 14 and she's going to find away to hang out with boys no matter what we say. So let's set some rules up. Here's what I suggest. She's too young to date one-on-one, but she can have a boy, like Chris, over here when we are around. They stay in public areas of the house, but we'll try not to make ourselves too obvious. She can go over to his house if his parents have similar rules. A date to any supervised school function is fine, so are outings with groups of kids or a suitable adult. We'll reevaluate one on one dates at a later time. What do you think?"

"I guess that's reasonable. But you'll talk to her, right, about stuff?" I ask.

"Danny, I know, Anna's got the biology down. I think it would be good if we both talked to her," said Lindsay.

"I don't know Lins, I'd have died if I had to have a conversation like that with my Ma. Do we need to torture the poor kid?"

"Fine, I'll talk to her, but I think it would be good if you talked to her just a little about how men treat woman they respect and care about. Just do that. Please."

"Sure, Montana, I can do that."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

**Lindsay's POV**

I talked to my mother. She pointed out that Anna's probably going to need physical therapy no matter what. She also pointed out that Danny and I can't take time off two or three days a week to take her there. She's going to look into coming out for three or so weeks. I'd love her and it will be fun to have her around, but I'm not sure I want her around that much, she's not the world's best guest. I hope she doesn't try to reorganize the whole house.

I also had a very interesting conversation with Jen Miller, who is Chris's mom. She told me that Chris would die if he knew she called, but he asked to have a party for the boys and girls soccer teams and kept wondering if Anna would be allowed to come because of her knee. Anyway she asked me not to tell Anna she called, but wanted to let me know that she and her husband would be chaperoning the party and that she'd keep an extra close eye on Anna to make sure she didn't do anything to aggravate her knee. I promised to keep it secret, said Anna would probably be able to come and thanked her for calling.

**Danny's POV**

I know that I should be grateful that Karen Monroe is able to come and help us out. I like Karen, I just feel like I'm not what she wanted for her daughter. I don't blame her. I don't want Anna dating any guy who comes from a family like I did.

I think Anna has been talking to that Chris kid on the phone. I don't like it. She's a little girl. I know Montana is right, but I don't have to like it. I know she still wants me to talk to Anna, but I have no idea how I am going to do that. Maybe the opportunity will present itself.

**Danny's POV**

Well, I think Anna's MRI went okay. I haven't really figured out what I'm supposed to do at these appointments. Do I go hold her hand or what? Luckily, the MRI tech directed me to stay in the waiting room saying there was no space for me.

I can't believe this traffic. We are going to be stuck here for ever. Anna starts to fiddle with the radio and it dies. Great, just great.

"So Anna, what did you think about the MRI? I know not moving is hard."

Anna shrugs her shoulder and says "it was really loud and kind of hard to stay still, but at least I didn't have to be all the way inside. I just want to know what's up. Do you think you can fix the radio?"

"The radio? Yeah, I think there is just a wire loose someplace. Listen Anna, your Aunt Lindsay has been after me to talk to you. So how about we do that now since we are stuck here?" I said.

"About what?" asks Anna and then a look of horror crosses her face. "Not about sex right? I mean Aunt Lindsay and I covered all that I swear. Really, no questions, not doing anything, I swear. How about I just tell her we talked and that's it?"

"Calm down, as appealing as your idea is, we can't lie to Lindsay. I know you and Lindsay talked about stuff. I just want to talk to you about boys. Listen kiddo, I'm not proud of how I treated the women in my life before your Aunt Lindsay. I never really loved any of them and it showed in the way I treated them. No guy who loves you will ever ask you to do anything that makes you uncomfortable, and your physical and emotional well being are going to important to him. He'd never ask you to do anything that could risk either of them. Look as the guy who is taking the place of your dad, I'd like you to wait until you get married, but I'd be kind of a hypocrite. However, finish growing up, wait for a guy who loves you and wants the best for you. The others, honey, they just aren't worth it. Remember, Lindsay and I are always here for you."

"Thanks, Uncle Danny. I promise that I'll keep that in mind. Really, though there is nothing to worry about," said Anna.

**Don's POV**

Messer and I are sitting in a car doing a little surveillance. I thought that we had left this kind of stuff behind. Isn't this what kids in uniforms were for? Or rookie detectives? I guess ours is not to wonder why . . .

"Danny did Lindsay drag you to like a million stores to register for crap? I do not care what kind of china we have or sheet or towels. The kitchen stuff is kind of cool though."

"Yeah, she did. It's just something you got to do. Otherwise you will get like eight million vases and pictures frames and crap. Man up and develop some opinions. Plus, trust me you care. You don't want your bedroom to look like roses threw-up in it. Besides, I don't think Megan's too happy about it either so she's sharing the pain," answered Danny.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, the girls at school want to throw her a shower, which she really doesn't want and a shower means having to register," says Danny

"Well, why doesn't she say no? "

"I don't know, I don't get these things, but I'm sure the answer is that it would be rude somehow," answers Danny.

"Listen, about your bachelor party, what do you want to do? I need to start making plans," said Danny.

"Well, Megan has a thing about strippers and strip clubs, so none of that. It's not like she would say no and she knows I wouldn't do anything but I know it bothers her. As an industry, not just me going. Besides, I'd really like Tony to come with us and my dad. Tony won't come if we got to a strip club and I just don't even want to think about Dad at one," said Don.

"No problem. Lindsay's not too cool with it either. Not that she'd say no, but just like Megan she's got a problem with the industry. What about cigars, poker and whiskey at one of those cigar bars?" asked Danny.

"That sounds good to me. I want to start by respecting Megan's wishes. Besides, I always felt a little scummy when I would get home," said Don.

"Ten years ago you think we'd have said any of this. The things we do for the women we love. Hell, Lindsay even had me talk to Anna about sex, about how she should expect a guy who loves her to treat her. I just don't want to think about that you know? She's just a kid," says Danny.

"Danny, you don't have much to worry about yet. Before they took x-rays, the doctor asked Anna if there was a chance she good be pregnant and she looked horrified. She said she hadn't even had a real kiss yet."

"Good to know."

**Anna's POV**

Grandma Monroe is here! I've missed her so much. She's here to help take care of me since I'll probably have to have physical therapy, which would be lots of driving around for Danny and Lindsay.

In fact we are on the way to the orthopedists now for news on the MRI. I really, really hope its ok. I don't want surgery.

**Lindsay's POV**

Hopefully, things are on there way back to normal around here. My mom just called and said that the orthopedist said there was only a minor tear in the tendon that would heal on its own. Anna got a new flexible brace and she is supposed to start physical therapy three days a week. Mom is going to start calling for appointments now. I'm SO relieved.

I admit I'm enjoying having my mom here. She's making dinner for us. She ironed the stuff in the ironing basket and mended stuff in the mending basket. I think she even said something about lengthening Anna's uniform skirts. I'll let them fight that one out.

Dad's going to come for a few days at the end and go back with Mom before Thanksgiving. They want to take Anna with them and deliver her to Suzy's folks. I'm not sure about letting her miss any more school. It would just be a couple of days, but I don't know. I think I'll ask Megan.

Realizing that school is out, I call Megan's cell phone'

"Hi, Lindsay."

"Hi, Megan. I've got a question for you. My parents want to take Anna back to Montana a few days before Thanksgiving and deliver her to Suzy's parents themselves. I'm not sure about letting Anna miss any more school. What do you think?"

"I think Anna misses her old life in Montana, but probably doesn't want to talk to you about it. She's a good student; she'll make up the work. Call Father Tony and talk to him about it so no one else gives you any grief. And listen I know you and Danny didn't want to push Anna into counseling right away, but think about it again. She's had a pretty rough year," said Megan.

"Thanks, Megan. I'll think about the counseling bit."

I called Father Tony too. He thought some time in Montana would be good for Anna and didn't think the missed classes would be too big a problem. He also agreed with Megan that some counseling might be in order of Anna. He said he would try to set-up something for her at school. They had a new school counselor starting that he thought would work. He reminded me that with teenagers things can go down hill fast. No one had seen any problems with Anna yet and we wanted to keep it that way.

**Danny's POV**

I'm barely in the door before I'm attacked by an excited Anna saying "Uncle Danny, you remember that guy Chris, from the restaurant? Well, he's having a party for 9th graders on the boys and girls soccer teams and he's invited me. Really, we'll just be hanging out at his place, with his parents there. He said that if you and Aunt Lindsay are worried about me over doing something with my leg that you should call and talk to his mom. Can I go?"

Behind Anna, I seen Karen Monroe nodding her head yes, so it's clear what she thinks. It seems harmless, but I'm going to leave myself an escape clause.

"Anna, it sounds fine to me, I'm pretty sure you can go, but let's check with Lindsay, she might want to check with his mom. Okay?"

Anna hugs me and comes as close to bouncing out of the room as a kid in a leg brace can.

Karen looks at me and says "you and Lindsay have picked this up fast. You make a good team. You got thrown into the deep end of parenting and you are doing just fine."

That makes me feel really good because some days I don't know how good I am at this.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

**Lindsay's POV **

So the infamous soccer party has come to pass, Anna seemed excited about it at dinner, which is why it was even more puzzling to find her crying in her room when I went to say goodnight. It took a bit of time to calm her down but I think I discovered the problems. Being around my mother is making her miss her parents more than she had in awhile, and my mother let the hems down on all her uniform skirts. They were flirting with being too short and my practical mother, let the whole hem out making the skirts an odd length. I'm sure her opinion is that Anna is still growing and this is the most practical way to keep up with it. Apparently, she did all this without mentioning it to Anna. When Anna brought it up, she got the famous Karen Monroe "you're being ridiculous" speech. I love my mother, but her view of ridiculous means not agreeing with her right that second. I promise Anna we can revisit the skirt length issue during Christmas break.

I'm hoping for a growth spurt so I don't have to re-hem those uniforms. I'd bring it up, but my mother and I have a long history of fighting over hems. Everything was always way too long so I could "grow into" it. I almost always worn it out before I grew into it.

I guess some counseling for Anna would be a good idea. She does need a place to process her feelings with someone who is not involved.

**Danny's POV**

To night is the night of the infamous soccer party. Lindsay was smooth. To avoid Karen's input on what Anna should wear (she was thinking a dress, a choice I did not agree with, too much access), Lindsay got Karen invited to play cards over at Don and Maura Flack's with some friends of theirs. I'm not sure what was so special about the outfit. It looked like jeans and a sweater to me, but Lindsay and Anna were happy. I was happy because I felt like Anna was wearing enough clothes and nothing suggestive. Lindsay is on her way to pick Anna up right now.

Anna walks in the house smiling.

"So you had a good time?" I ask.

"Yeah, Uncle Danny I did. Goodnight," answers Anna heading up the stairs.

"Linds, what's up with that? Why didn't she want to talk?"

"Well, we talked in the car some, but mostly it's because we are her parents and you are the dad so you get even fewer details," she said.

"So do you think it was okay? Well supervised and stuff?" I ask.

Lindsay says "Chris's father is Jack Miller from narcotics and his mother Jen is a social worker who deals with teenagers going through rehab and their families. The kids were supervised and these people know when they are being lied to. No one is going to be smoking pot in the Miller's basement and getting away with covering up the smell with incense."

"Good, Miller's a good cop. And what you are telling me is that if Chris and Anna get together, they will have to get past two CSIs, a narcotics detective and a social worker who has seen just about everything. I guess if she has to start liking boys, this isn't a bad one to start with," I say.

**Lindsay's POV**

I love my mother, but she is making me crazy!! She has re-organized my kitchen, my linen closet, coat closet, and hall closet. All while making passive aggressive comments about how I would do all this if I didn't have job. Danny and I can't find anything. She took apart our radiators to clean inside them. She made us a 30 day meal plan that assumes only I cook and we eat dinner at 5:30 every night all three of us.

Mom has been a good send with Anna though. She's handled taking her to physical therapy and back to the doctor. She's made sure that she does her exercises at home. She's even supervised some study groups. Apparently, Chris came here a couple times with a group and at least once by himself.

Dad arrives tomorrow. Since Danny and I are working Thanksgiving, Mom is making a big Thanksgiving Dinner the next day. Then Mom, Dad, and Anna take off for Montana for a week. I've missed my Dad it will be so good to see him! Plus, he calms my mother down.

**Danny's POV**

Montana is 100 daddy's girl. My wife actually shrieked and called him daddy when he arrived. She was so thrilled to see him. Anna was pretty excited too. I love seeing my girls that happy.

I was never sure Ben Monroe liked me that much. I don't think he ever saw Lindsay with a guy like me, who doesn't know his way around a ranch. However, I think we've come to an understanding because Lindsay and Anna are the center of my world and that is what he wants for them. Plus, he kept Karen Monroe from driving Lindsay completely nuts. He got her to calm down and relax a little, which kept her from trying to reorganize our lives and making comments Lindsay took as digs.

All in all we had a great visit and a to- die-for pre-Thanksgiving Dinner. It was a little hard putting Anna on that plane, but I have to say that I'm looking forward to some time that is just about Lindsay and I. Not being parents for a little while will feel good.

Since all five of us are a tight fit in the SUV, I've let Lindsay take her parents and Anna to the airport. I'm going to make dinner for the two of us, set the table in the dinning room with the good china, maybe see if she wants to dance in our living room or maybe get her to play some pool with me.

**Lindsay's POV**

My husband is the best. He's just the best. I was a little down after dropping my parents and Anna at the airport, but as soon as I walked in the door to our house, that was all forgotten.

Danny had set the table for two with all the nice things we got for our wedding. He had candles out, soft music playing in the background and dinner cooking for the two of us. We had a nice romantic dinner.

As we finished up, Danny said "Montana I've been trying to decide what I wanted to do with you after dinner. Dancing or pool? I couldn't decide which or which one first, so I'm asking you."

"Dance with me Danny. Then maybe we can play some pool. Both of those things and the dinner were wonderful ideas."

Danny leads me into the living room, where he has pushed the coffee table aside leaving us a bit of a dancing floor. He changes the music and pulls me into his arms. We dance awhile, and I become aware of just how much I want Danny.

I lean in and whisper in his ear "let's continue this upstairs, we can play pool anytime."

"Baby, your wish is my command. Why don't you go upstairs and get comfortable. I want to check on a few things down here."

**Danny's POV**

I quickly stick the leftover in the fridge and make sure all the door are locked. Then I head upstairs to join Lindsay in bed. As I enter our room, I can see that Lindsay lit all the candles that I had placed up here. I can hear her moving around in the bathroom, so I strip down to my boxers (silk ones I know she really likes) and go prop myself up against our headboard and all the pillows.

Then Lindsay comes out of our bathroom wearing the outfit she wore on our wedding night. I haven't seen it since then. It's this white silky robe thing over this white silky lacy nightgown thing. She looks radiant and deceptively innocent. I'm speechless for a moment as she walks to the foot of our bed and lets the robe slide off her shoulders and down to the floor.

Lindsay poses for me and says "see something you like cowboy?"

**Lindsay's POV**

Danny and I are lying together in the after glow of spectacular sex, just enjoying being together. It's wonderful. My husband is wonderfully sexy and playful, and well experienced. I know there have been many more women in Danny's past than men in mine. However, I can say that I'm kind of thankful for that. He knows exactly what he is doing and I appreciate that. I mean I really appreciate that.

If you had asked me before hand if I thought having Anna around had impacted our sex life, I would have said no, but I realized that I am probably considerably less vocal because I really don't want to be over heard. Plus, while we do take "naps" together sometimes on the weekends, I realized that most of the time Danny and I are together right before we go to sleep, when Anna's in bed or in the early morning before we need to get up it. Here, I am at 9:00 pm on a week night lying in the after glow with my husband. No hurry to go to sleep, so we can have a goodnight's sleep or anything. We can just be together. I don't think all of this is due to Anna. I suspect that some of it is due to our relationship becoming more settled, but it is nice to be child free for a couple of days, of course not nice enough, that I'm not going to remind Danny about my doctor's appointment.

"Danny, I had my doctor's appointment today."

"Yeah, so is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine. Assuming that all of my lab tests come back okay, Dr. Stone says I should start taking vitamins with extra folic acid and that we can start trying for a baby as soon as I finish this pack of pills. Do you still want to? I know we haven' talked about it in awhile because of everything that's been going on."

"Lindsay," says Danny grinning at me "I would love nothing more than to have a baby with you. I thought you said we'd have to wait a couple of months though?"

"I'm glad you are still ready for a baby. I love Anna like she's my daughter, but I want one where I get to start from the beginning. I thought we'd have to a wait a couple of months, but apparently, that's kind of an old wives tale. It makes dating the pregnancy a little easier if we get lucky the first shot out of the gate, but that's not real likely and an early ultrasound can date the pregnancy more precisely if we get that lucky. At my age there is only like a 20 of getting pregnant each month and that assumes that I start ovulating right away."

"Well, then we'll just have to keep trying. This is certainly something I won't mind practicing," says Danny while leaning over to kiss me.

"Danny, I know we said we weren't going to tell anyone, but I needed to talk to someone so I told Becky, my old roommate. I just really needed to talk to someone."

"That's okay Montana. Flack kind of guessed, but he promised not to tell anyone. I think it's okay if we find we need someone to talk to and we are selective."

"Sounds good. Let's finish that bottle of wine and play some more pool. After all, I'm going to be giving up drinking for awhile."

**Danny's POV**

I love my wife. Lindsay tells me she's ready for us to try and have baby. Then she suggested drinking some more and playing pool, before we ended up having a second round in the shower and collapsing here in bed. I love my wife. She's playful and sexy and beautiful when she sleeps. My life is just perfect right about now.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

**Megan's POV**

As Thanksgiving's go, this has not been one of the best. A real bad case of the flu seems to have taken a serious toll on the NYPD, including Don. He's at his parent's house with a 102 degree fever. Trying to nurse my pretty sick fiancé and mind Maura Flack's house rules was a little too much. First Don asked me to help him take a shower. He really did need help given how unsteady on his feet he was. Maura heard him say this and just about blew her stack saying we are setting a horrible example for the children. Which since the children are all under seven I find kind of hilarious, I don't think they think about things like that. Maura said she'd help him, which did not go over well with Don. He did not react well to her comments about having changed his diapers. Luckily, Tony got involved at that moment and suggested that maybe I help Don take a sponge bath because neither Maura nor I would really be able to do anything if Don really lost his balance. Maura wanted to argue, but since the priest who was going to perform our wedding said it was okay, what could she say?

So Don is finally sleeping and I'm bringing some Thanksgiving leftovers to Danny and Lindsay and anyone else around today. First, I stopped by Don's place and put clean sheets on the bed and stuff. I'm going to try to convince them to go crash there for awhile. Apparently, so many officers are out sick that Danny and Lindsay have been both CSIs and homicide detectives for the last couple of days. I don't think they've made it home to Queens. Maybe they'll sleep a little at Don's place instead of just napping on the couches at work.

I get signed in (I don't think it hurt that Don, Sr called ahead to grease the wheels). I leave half of what Maura sent in the break room the detectives use and take the rest upstairs to the CSIs. Danny and Lindsay are passed out on couches opposite each other. I wake Lindsay up and give her the keys to Don's place. She promised they would eat and try to catch some sleep at Don's place. I didn't like the glassy look in her eyes. I pretty sure she's getting sick. Hopefully, others will get well first.

**Don's POV**

I feel like I want to die. I know the flu rarely kills healthy adults, but right now I'm not so sure. I know Megan and Ma got into it over taking care of me earlier. The whole thing was absurd and I'm glad Tony intervened. It was all I could do not point out to my mother that Megan and I have been naked together many, many times so could we please stop pretending that we were in some kind of 19th century novel. Just a few more weeks and Megan will be my wife. I can't wait. Right now, if it was up to me, I'd have Tony do the ceremony right now and be done with all this crap. I just want to start our life together without this attempt at a façade to make other people happy.

**Anna's POV**

I had a great time in Montana. Spending time with my mom's family was great, plus, I get to see Olivia, who is my best friend in Montana. We've been friends since the first day of kindergarten. However, it's really nice to be back here. I would have said before that Bozeman was home, but as much as I enjoyed being there, I missed my friends in New York, Danny, and Lindsay. I guess I kind of have two homes these days.

Danny and Lindsay both look like death warmed over. Apparently, they worked almost nonstop while I was gone while everyone else was out with the flu. Now they both have the flu and are wiped out. I think I'll see if I can make some soup for dinner and bring it upstairs to them. Then, I have to get started on the homework from all the school I missed.

**Lindsay's POV**

Anna is home. Megan picked her up at the airport since Danny and I are lying in bed dying. Well, obviously we aren't really dying. We just have the flu that everyone else had a week ago. I should probably get up and make us some dinner.

Just as I was thinking about getting up to make dinner, Anna knocked on our door. She came in with a tray carrying two bowls of soup and some crackers. I love that girl. She asked if she could have Chris come over to help her with some homework that she missed. I'm not sure that Danny and I count as supervision right now, but I can't think of a reason to say no. So I tell her that it would be fine.

**Anna's POV**

Lindsay said I could have Chris over, so I called him. He is going to help with me some math that I missed.

When Chris got here, we set-up in the dinning room and worked on the math. It didn't take very long to finish once Chris explained it, so we went to watch some TV in the family room. Being the Sunday after Thanksgiving, there was a football game on. It wasn't one either one of us really cared about, but it was a decent game. All of a sudden, Chris leaned over and kissed me, softly on my lips. It was an incredible feeling.

When Chris pulled back, he said "I hope that was o.k. Anna."

I smiled and said "it was very much o.k."

Chris smiled and said "I'd really us to be a couple, you know, exclusive."

"I'd like that," I answered.

Then Chris's phone went off. It was his mom letting him know she was almost here. So I leaned in and kissed him again before he left.

After Chris left, I head up to my room. I need to call Hannah and Olivia.

**Lindsay's POV**

The dinner Anna made helped me feel better, so I decided that I needed to go check on Anna and Chris. I was just about to walk into the family room, when I saw Chris lean in and kiss her. It was a sweet gentle innocent kiss, almost a peck. Anna's face lit up and Chris's face lit up when hers did. I stayed out of sight to watch and listen, and then scampered upstairs when I heard his phone ring. I wouldn't want them to know they had an audience.

When I came back into our room, a groggy Danny asked "how are the kids?"

I said "Chris's mom is on her way over to pick him, up, but I think I just stumbled in on Anna's first kiss."

"And you left them down there to make out?" screeched Danny.

"Hush, no. They weren't making out. They exchanged a couple of very chaste kisses and decided they were a couple. They are entitled to a little privacy. Not that much, but a little. Besides, they may be a couple, but remember they are pretty much limited to being here, at Chris's, school events, or out in groups."

"But she's just a kid and he's . . ."

"He's what? He's a kid who's voiced practically cracked when he asked Anna if it was ok that he kissed her. All in all, I'm pretty happy with him for her first kiss and her first boyfriend. I think after awhile, I'll call Jen Miller and let her know about these developments."

"But what about when she's not here where we can keep an eye on her?" asked Danny.

"Well, we can't keep an eye on her all the time. Besides that's one reason I want to call Jen Miller. Remember two CSIs, a narcotics detective, and social worker who deals with teens in rehab? I like our chances."

**Anna's POV**

Yesterday was just wonderful! Chris kissed me and asked me if we wanted to be a couple. It was incredible. Then he called me and we talked for a long time before bed. Both Hannah and Olivia think I'm very lucky. I am.

Chris was waiting for me at my locker. He smiled at me and squeezed my hand quickly. Then we walked to homeroom with our friends. This boyfriend thing might be very, very nice.

In homeroom, I was told to go see Father Tony. I wasn't sure why, but I figured I'd find out..

When I walked into Father Tony's office he says, "Hi Anna. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving. I understand you spent it with your mother's family in Montana."

"Yes, Father. It was nice to be back in Montana," I answered

"Sit down Anna. Listen, I know that you've had a rough year. You've settled in remarkably well. However, I do think that it might be a good idea of you to have someone to talk to who isn't directly involved. For instance, I would imagine that it is hard to tell your Aunt Lindsay how much you miss your old life in Montana without feeling like you are criticizing what she has given you. At the same time, I bet telling your grandparents, especially your mother's parents about what you like about your life here could be kind of hard too.'

I don't really know what to say, so I nod by head.

"All of that is perfectly normal. I'm amazed at how well you've dealt with everything. We have a new school counselor starting today, Ms. Cook. I think it might do you some good to talk to her. Just get to know her so she can be a resource. I thought you could see her during PE today since as I understand it you aren't up to speed yet. That doesn't mean that you can't talk to me or anyone else. My door is always open. You are doing wonderfully, and it's my job to help make sure that continues. Besides if you like Ms. Cook maybe you can convince others she a good person to talk to."

The Father Tony handed me a pass back to class and a note to get out of PE to go talk to this Ms. Cook. I'm not sure how I feel about this.

**Lindsay's POV**

"Hi Jen. This is Lindsay Messer. I just wanted to catch-up you up on the developments between our kids if you have a few minutes," said Lindsay on the phone.

"Yes, Lindsay. That would be great. Chris couldn't stop smiling when he came home the other day, but he wouldn't say why," said Jen Miller.

"Well, Chris and Anna don't know it, but I almost walked in on what I'm pretty sure was their first kiss and a discussion of being a couple. It was very cute. Normally, I might say they are too young to be exclusive, but since the universe of places they are allowed to go, is pretty small, I'm ok with it," reported Lindsay.

"That would certainly explain Chris's smile. Thanks for keeping me up to date. I'll let you know if I come across anything you should know. They are great kids, but until they are a little older, I like keeping a fairly short leash on them."

"Absolutely," answered Lindsay.

**Anna's POV**

The meeting with Ms. Cook, well she said to call her Jamie, wasn't so bad. She just asked a little about my life. She didn't make me talk about my parents or anything too hard right away. It did feel kind of good to be able to talk about how much I miss Montana, but how much I love it here at the same time. Plus, she was pretty cool when I told her about Chris and didn't get all after school special on me. I'm supposed to come see her every week while I can't take gym and then we'll see, but she was thinking maybe every other week before or after school.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**Don's POV**

Damn, this is not going to be a good day. I'm standing outside my Captain's office (a new guy, so far so good, he's stood up to Sinclair when he's need to) waiting to talk to him about the worst kind of a crime, sex crimes involving children. Technically, since no one is dead and there was no attempt to kill anyone, it shouldn't be mine, but it's a screwed up situation that someone needs to deal with.

"Captain Harris, we've got a situation," I say.

He looks at me and says, "How bad?"

"Bad," I say. "But hopefully we can make it better."

"Okay. Tell me about it."

"My brother Tony is a priest in Queens. He's the principal at Georgetown Prep. He just called me because the school nurse tried to report a case of sexual abuse to DCFS and they blew her off."

Captain Harris frowns and says "Did they get a name?"

"They got two names. The first time the nurse, (a nun by the way) called and talked to a Maria Smith," I say as I look at my notebook. "Then my brother called and spoke to a Carol O'Conner."

Captain Harris looks even grimmer and says "DCFS blew off a priest and a nun about the sexual abuse of a minor?"

I nod, "Yeah. It's Councilman Edward's daughter Jenna. I think they just didn't want to touch it. They said they don't investigate claims made about teenagers."

"Well, we know that's not true. Hopefully, I can make some heads roll over there. The Councilman will probably be eager to help once he finds out."

"Probably not, sir, uh, they think the Councilman is the abuser."

"Okay, Flack, start at the beginning. This is going to be a long story isn't it?"

"Well, you know the Councilman's wife died six months ago right? Well, nothing's been right in the family since then. My fiancée is one of Jenna's teachers. She's been real worried about her. She didn't suspect anything like this, but Jenna became real withdrawn, not interested in anything, her grades dropped, and she quit the soccer team. My fiancée suggested counseling to the Councilman and he seemed receptive. Everyone at school thought she was just having a real hard time with her mother's death. Well, Megan heard Jenna throwing up in the bathroom this morning and then Jenna fainted in homeroom. She marched her off to the nurse. They were thinking bulimia or something. Well between Sister Margaret and Megan, they get Jenna to tell them that her father has been using her as a substitute for her mother since she died. She's pregnant too."

"Hell, are they sure? Not about the abuse, the girl sounds like a classic abuse victim, but the pregnancy?"

"Yes, Captain. They are. Sister Margaret had her take a pregnancy test."

"Well, I don't want DCFS to screw this up even more. They aren't to get their hands on the girl. What do you think we should do?" asks Captain Harris.

"I think I should take both Detectives Messer from CSI and go handle it. They've got custody of Lindsay's niece Anna. She goes to school with Jenna and was on the soccer team with her. My fiancée is the coach. Jenna knows us all. I think she'd probably be relatively comfortable with Lindsay doing a forensic exam or as comfortable as she's going to be and she'll probably talk to her. Then Danny and I can get a warrant and search for evidence at the Councilman's house while he's at work. There are a couple of licensed foster parents in the parish. Tony will find someone DCFS can't complain about where we know she'll be safe and as comfortable as possible until other arrangements can be made."

"That sounds like a very good plan. Call me when the girl is at the hospital, and leave some uniforms there. Then I'll call the mayor and the head of DCFS. First, I'll call Mac Taylor and make sure he understands why you need the Messers."

"Thanks," I say as I start to leave.

"Listen, Detective, you did good. Your first thought was the girl and how we could make this easiest on her, not the politics, not about how to dump this on another department because it's not a homicide, not how to play this in the media. You thought like a father. You know my oldest will be in 9th grade next year. She's a soccer player. We were thinking Georgetown Prep. I think that would be the right choice. Besides, if memory serves you and Messer picked up the nickname "super cops" a few years ago after a roof jumping stunt, it will be fun to watch the super cops turned soccer pops."

"Well, thanks sir, but Megan and I aren't planning kids anytime soon."

"You might not be anyone's dad anytime soon, but you react to kids like a father. It's a good thing. I heard about you going to sit in the ER with Messer's niece and your fiancée. Those of us who actually are fathers can't be everywhere all the time. We need guys like you to have our backs."

Later, Don and Lindsay were in Don's squad car heading out to Queens. Danny was going to meet them there as soon as he finished the crime scene he was at.

"Don, I knew something was wrong with Jenna. How did I miss this?"

"Monroe, if you are going to feel guilty about this you need to get in line behind Megan, Tony, and well pretty much the rest of the faculty and staff at the school and in the parish. Everyone is thinking the same thing. From what I know from Megan and Tony, everyone did know something was wrong with Jenna, but nothing pointed specifically towards abuse. They talked to Jenna, they talked to Edwards. What I want to know is why on earth the nurse's office had pregnancy test handy?"

"Thanks for trying to make me feel better Don. As for the pregnancy test, I would imagine Sister Margaret had one handy because this wasn't the first time it seemed like a logical thing to suggest. As I understand it there were a couple of girls that got pregnant last year."

"Jeez, Monroe, it's Catholic school, aren't we supposed to be against that kind of things?"

"Against what Don? Pre-marital sex? Birth control? High school kids having sex? Healthy babies? I'm married to your best friend and close friends with your fiancée. Plus, you don't think you and Danny had reputations that I heard about almost as soon as I got here. I think I can safely say you, Megan, me, and Danny, plus most of the parents at the school would look like giant hypocrites if we tried to pretend that we hadn't broken with the church on pre-marital sex and birth control. I think everyone's in agreement that high school kids shouldn't be having sex, but they have been since the beginning of time. Sister Margaret went toe-to-toe with your brother over this one and brokered a compromise. She doesn't promise she won't tell their parents if it's positive, but tells them where they can go for that kind of privacy. Obviously, she gives the girls a chance to tell their parents first or offers to help tell them. She gets to use her discretion though in case something like this comes up where obviously telling the parent would be counter productive. She pointed out that allowing girls in deep denial to continue to be in deep denial endangered both her health and the babies."

Don smiled at the thought of Sister Margaret, a tiny, young South American nun arguing with his brother.

"So why I am getting up and not spending the night at Megan's then?" asked Don.

"That's easy. It gives Tony and anyone else who wants it plausible deniability. However, the youngest girls on the soccer team don't believe it. I over heard them discussing it, most of them think you waited until you got engaged though. A bunch of them have crushes on you and Danny. It's kind of cute."

"Linds, you've got to be kidding me?"

"No, I'm not. It's harmless. It's probably even good for them. I'd rather they grow up looking for a man like you or Danny than some empty headed Hollywood heartthrob."

"Well, thanks, but they've talked about Megan and me?"

"Yeah, they are teenage girls, who as fascinated by how romantic relationships work. They are trying to figure out what there own boundaries are going to be. Most of them don't have older brothers or sisters old enough to be in serious relationship, not that older siblings would share much anyway, so the young pretty soccer coach they adore and her handsome fiancé who comes to all their games and treats them like young ladies get a lot of attention. They wonder if Kathleen is seeing anyone, same with the boy's soccer coach, really anyone who is not in their opinion ancient (which is like 40). They talk about Danny and me too until Anna reaches her grossed out threshold, like will we have a baby soon. Apparently, Anna didn't know that Danny and I lived together before we were engaged, so they speculated about us too. So no telling Anna anything you know."

"So you managed to 'over hear' all this Monroe?" asked Don. "Isn't that eavesdropping?"

"I'm a mother so it's not eavesdropping, it's parenting. They have no reasonable expectation of privacy. It was Maura Flack who told me that, so I would imagine many conversations with your buddies weren't so private."

"Lindsay, I'm a guy. We never had conversations of any substance any place our mothers would have been a within a hundred yards of."

"Really? So why would your mother have spent months saying extra rosaries that you didn't get your prom date Sandy O'Malley pregnant? She heard all about your plan to seduce her."

"Well, that plan failed miserably. I don't think I even got to second with her. Of course later I learned Sandy O'Malley was a lesbian. I guess Ma's fear that I got her pregnant was why she kept asking about Sandy the whole summer until she went away to college. You talk to my mom about stuff like this a lot?"

"Not about you specifically Don, but yeah. My mom is great, but she worries so much, she didn't raise kids in the city and she doesn't understand what it's like for me to work my job and be a parent. Your mom at least was a cop's wife and she raised her kids in the city. Plus, did you know that she was working towards a degree in social work at City College when she got pregnant with Tony? She's a natural at counseling. She kept meaning to go back, but there was always another baby. She loves all you kids, but she told your sisters, Megan, and me she thinks we are much smarter to plan our pregnancies, space them out, and be older when we start. Granted, I think she pretends we all use natural family planning and that Megan is just filing the information for future reference."

"Really? I didn't know that about my mom. I could see her being a social worker. She'd have been good at it. But she can't think that I slept with Sandy O'Malley, but not Megan? Can she?"

"I think it's more that she'd prefer not to think about it, so no I don't think really deep down she thinks you and Megan have a purely chaste relationship, I think she'd just like to pretend that."

"Okay, so we're almost there. How do you want to play this?" asks Don.

"Well, let's see how she is doing. If she's willing to talk at school, let's let her do that. Let's ask her who she wants to be in the room. See if maybe she will let you or Danny stay. She knows you both. If she asks for Father Tony, Sister Margaret or Megan they stay. I'm guessing Father Tony knows he can't prompt her. We should warn Megan and Sister Margaret."

"Sounds good. Then we take her to the hospital and assuming you can give us probable cause Danny and I go execute a warrant. The Captain wants uniforms present in case someone tips off the Councilman, although if he finds out who did it, he'll have their balls in a vice. He's already so pissed at DCFS he can hardly see straight. We have the okay to put her in the care of our choice if Tony can find someone in the parish who is licensed," said Don.

"Okay. It's probably not ideal, but Danny and I are licensed. It made the whole thing with the courts in Montana easier."

"Good to know."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

**Danny's POV **

We have everything we need and are about to meet someone at the Edwards' home with the warrant. Things have gone as smoothly as they can in this kind of case, but it's been hard. I feel like I want to punch someone. Preferably, the slime bag Edwards. From the statement Jenna gave at the school, the evidence Lindsay gave us to get the warrant and what I could read on Lindsay's face, we've got the scum ball dead to rights. We even have fetal DNA because Jenna had a miscarriage, which I guess is good, I mean it's got to be better than having to decide what to do. Jenna's going to be in the hospital overnight and get a psyche eval. I'm not sure they would have kept her just for the miscarriage under normal circumstances. Flack is finishing up with Father Tony and we should be on our way soon.

Don got into the car and immediately started filling Danny in.

"Hey Dan, turns out Jenna's favorite eighth grade teacher is retired and a licensed foster parent. She's got no kids right now and Tony says she's more than willing to take Jenna for as long as it takes. He also think that there is an aunt on the mother's side in the area who is good people, otherwise he thinks he can find a good home for her in the parish. He mentioned something about a couple looking to adopt a baby, but she runs a rape crisis center and might be open to Jenna, especially since they could still adopt a baby."

"How's Megan doing? She didn't look so good. I know this isn't her usual thing," asked Danny.

"Not so good, but I didn't really get a chance to talk to her. But get this, my brother the self-appointed king of proprietary suggested that I shouldn't care what the busy bodies think, that no one would think I should leave my fiancée alone after this," said Flack.

"Good. I was going to suggest that you and Megan come to our house or something. Linds and I can be your old married couple chaperone," said Danny.

"Danny Messer, chaperone is not a role I ever thought of you in. Seriously, though you wouldn't worry about what it would say to Anna?"

"Nah, you're getting married in a less than a month, I don't think she'd be shocked. Hell, I wouldn't want her to be with any guy who would leave her alone after a day like this, so I'm not at all worried about what it would say to her. You sure I can't get Anna lojacked with a 24/7 video feed? I mean christ, it's not like this kid didn't have people looking out for her. Linds and I talked about her. Linds and Megan talked about her. Linds apparently once mentioned she'd be happy to talk, that she'd lost a bunch of friends at the same age. The whole faculty and staff of the school talked about her. Everyone knew something was wrong, but no one expected this. The kid knew three cops that cared about her and the bastard still was able to convince her we wouldn't believe her. Sometimes I'm amazed we get any of these guys."

"On the off chance that things go to hell and I don't get to leave, I might try to get Megan to go stay with you guys. She probably won't listen. I might have to bring in the big guns. My mother would make Megan come home with her. Maybe we need to do some kind of assembly thing at the school, you know, in addition to scaring the crap out of them about drugs and drunk driving?"

"I don't know, I just don't. Maybe."

"His own daughter, barely a teenager! He's one sick bastard. This should be a death penalty crime. When murders think you are the lowest form of life to exist, I think that says something. Apparently, according the Captain, the Mayor went ballistic, his daughter is Jenna's age and she'd spent time at his house. Heads at DCFS are going to roll over this one. It's personal. He sees a girl like his daughter, at a school like the one his daughter goes to where a priest and a nun get blown off like this. Man it's not going to be pretty," said Don.

"Yeah, well sometimes things need to hit close to home to make difference. After that thing with Gerrad's daughter, you'd think they'd know it's a crime that can happen no matter who you are, which brings me back to lojacking Anna, with a 24/7 video feed," said Danny.

"I'm not sure you could sell Lindsay on the lojack with video feed, although I could see it, in fact I might suggest it to my brother-in-laws. I bet the Mayor and the Captain would back you up too. Work on it and maybe it will be standard by the time Megan and I have a daughter old enough to need one," said Don.

Finally, we were able to search the house. We found plenty of evidence. It will be a slam dunk. The Mayor liked this guy before, trusted him and now he wanted his head on a platter. He let his daughters go to this guy's house (although there is no evidence Edwards did anything to anyone other than his own daughter and then only after her mother died, which is plenty bad). He wants blood, but he's willing to keep it as quiet as possible for Jenna's sake. Don, Lindsay, and I get the collar, but Edwards is being summoned to the mayor's office on some pretense where the big guys do the arresting. From what I understand the commissioner might be breaking out cuffs for this one, then Edwards will be brought by back ways into the garage with no media gauntlet if possible. When there is this much brass and no camera's you know they are taking it personally.

This hasn't been as hard as it was for Flack to arrest Moran, but this is the first time, I've had to bring in someone I've known. I sat next to this guy and watched our kids play soccer together. I would have let Anna go to his house without a second thought and I just helped arrest him for one of the most vile crimes there is. I'm serious about the lojack with the video feed. I think the other dads would back me on this.

**Lindsay's POV**

Today, I did a rape kit on the classmate of my daughter (which is how I've come to think of Anna) and held her hand while she started to miscarry, which seemed like a blessing. This has been one of the three worst days of my entire life. This girl sat in my living room eating pizza. I hugged her and told her she could talk to me because I thought she was just sad about her mom. Megan and I worried when she quit the soccer team. With all this her father still made her believe that I wouldn't believe her. This was a man who I would have let supervise Anna without a second thought. I wouldn't have had any concerns about letting her go over there to hang out. I used to think he was a nice guy.

I want to finish here with this paperwork and go home. I want to hug Anna, I want to remind her that I will always, always believe her. I want to settle in on the sofa between Anna and Danny and watch a happy, wholesome movie. Maybe the _Sound of Music_. I want to forget that we live in a world where stuff like that this happens.

I look up at the tv and see that there is a news truck set-up in front of Georgetown Prep and it looks like Father Tony is yelling at them. I turn the sound on and hear an anchor say

"The school refused to comment. Again to reiterate, Councilman Edwards has been arrested on charges that he sexually abused a minor and that said minor was pregnant and has miscarried. Court papers did not identify the victim, but this station's investigation reveals it to be his daughter. Now we do not name names of rape victims so we will not be telling you her name. We can tell you her school, which allegedly reported the alleged crime will not comment. Our sources tell us that the girls was accompanied to the hospital by among others Det. Don Flack, well known for his defeat of the Wilder drug gang and younger brother of the priest who is principal of the victim's school. He is also the fiancé of the soccer coach of the team the girl used to play on. CSI's Detectives Danny and Lindsay Messer also accompanied the girl. Our source said the girl seemed to know the Detectives Messer, like they were parents of a friend of hers. However, we can find no record that the Messers have a child. In what we assume is a related note, there has been a shake up over at DCFS over the failure of case workers to take seriously reports of sexual abuse made by the school. Our source informs us that the evidence against the Councilman is strong. His office will not comment. We will update you as events warrant."

I stepped out into the hall to see if I could find Mac or Don to figure out what was going on. I hear Captain Harris swearing loudly and heading this way with Don and Mac following. He was saying, "We don't name victims of sexual abuse my ass, but the Councilman only has one daughter and she's been in his campaign brochures her whole life. No we won't name her but we'll tell you where she goes to school, the teams she played and look into whether or not two of my Detectives may have a child she would know. Why don't we just put her picture on the news. God dammit, Flack, I want you to track down that leak. If the leak is an employee of the City of New York, the mayor and I will have his or her job and I will find something to charge the jerk with. If it was someone at the hospital then dammit, I'm going to get the US Attorney's office to find something to go after them on, maybe what's that law, the one that sounds like a hippo. And the network, can we find some law they broke? At least I am yanking their press credentials. No NYPD officer will give an interview to them. Also have someone in the DA's office look into whether or not the girl can sue the whole lot of them."

"Yes sir, I will sir, but I'm fairly sure that HIPAA has no criminal penalties associated with it," says Don, who is furious, but at the same time realizes that this might be fruitless errand. "If there are any, they're probably federal."

"I don't care! Just find the leak and we'll figure out what to charge the SOB with later."

Flack sped away from them and I was about to step back into the office, when I heard Mac call my name. I went and joined him and the Captain in the hall.

"Messer, I understand you and Flack's fiancée were key to getting the girl to tell us what happened. I want to thank you for that. It was a delicate job. As I told Flack earlier today, my daughter will be starting 9th grade in the fall and we were thinking Georgetown Prep. After this is definitely seems like the kind of community we want our daughter in," said the Captain.

"Thank you sir, I just wish I had figured out what was going on earlier. I wished she had trusted me earlier. It seemed like something more than her mother's death, but no one thought this. Danny and I have been very happy with Georgetown. We've been raising my brother's daughter since her parent's death over the summer and we think it's been good for her."

Mac jumped in and said "Lindsay, you know that abusers are very successful at convincing victims no one will believe them. You can't blame yourself."

"Mac is right," said the Captain. "That is why I want to make it known that you sexually abuse a child in New York City and the full force of the NYPD will come down on you no matter who you are. I heard your niece hurt her knee and had to miss the end of soccer season. How is she doing?"

"Anna's doing well. There was a small tear in the ligament, not enough for surgery, but if something happens in the next six or eight months it could be a big tear. Thanks for asking."

"Good, good," said the Captain as he walked away.

Mac stayed behind and said, "You all did good today. Find Danny and go home and hug Anna."

It didn't end up being that simple. After reporters buzzed the school Megan took Anna with her and tried to go home, but there were reporters everywhere. Apparently, there were reporters at our house too. So Megan and Anna met us at Don's parent's house. We did all hunker down and watch a wholesome movie, although in deference to the guys we watched "Miracle" about the 1980 Olympic Hockey Team. It's a good film. The guy who plays the goalie looks a little like a young Don Flack.

After the movie, I feel like I need to say something.

"Anna, Jenna's father convinced her that we wouldn't believe her. That's how guys like that work. I want you to remember that we will always believe you or friends when it comes to something like that. I promise. Don't ever let anyone convince you otherwise. You can tell us anything, absolutely anything. Don't worry about disappointing us, we'd be much more disappointed to find out there was something you thought you couldn't tell us."

Don jumped in and said, "That's right kiddo, and if you ever feel like you don't know how to tell Danny and Lindsay something, come talk to Megan and I. We'll help you figure it out. We'll help your friends figure out how to tell their parents. Anna, there is nothing that Danny, Lindsay, and I haven't seen. We'll help you out."

"Yeah, I know it sometimes might seem like we are a little strict but we have seen it all. We try to balance that with being reasonable because I gotta say Anna, days like today make me want to lock you in your room until you are grown-up but I know we can't do that," said Danny.

A rather shell shocked looking Anna promised she would come to us if she got in trouble. I really hope she believed us, but I guess there is nothing else we can do.

**Anna's POV**

Today doesn't quite seem real. It seems like something out of a Lifetime Movie, not my life. I feel so bad for Jenna. I can't even imagine what she feels like.

Clearly, all the adults are freaked out too. I felt like Lindsay didn't want me out of arms reach tonight. I really would tell them if anything was wrong. My life just generally isn't that interesting. Even things with Chris are moving pretty slowly.

Just then Megan comes in. We are sleeping in what used to be the Flack girls' bedroom. Don is in his old room and Danny and Lindsay are in the guest room. We say good night and she turns the light off.

As I lay there before I fall I asleep, I ask God to please keep Jenna safe and help her heal.

**Megan's POV**

Lying here in my fiancé's sisters' old bedroom is a little strange. I really wish I could be with Don tonight. Today was an eye opening day for me. I don't know how the rest of them deal with stuff like this on a regular basis.

Oh, well just a few more weeks and even Maura Flack will have no problem with Don and I sharing a bed in her house. I can't wait.

I hear Anna whisper "God please keep Jenna safe and help her heal." Amen to that. I suspect that those words are being repeated in prayers throughout this house and the city. I begin my own prayers.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

**Anna's POV**

Jessie and Andrea, two of the seniors on the soccer team, asked me to come over to Jessie's house after school and make decorations for Coach's shower. They are two of the coolest senior girls on the team. This will be so cool!

We get to Jessie's and her mom makes us a snack. We get to work on the place cards. Jessie and Andrea talk about applying to college and where they think all the seniors are going to end up. They also ask me about what happened with Jenna and seem disappointed that I don't really know anything. When we finish the place cards, it's still pretty early so Jessie suggests we go do some Christmas shopping at the mall. I call Lindsay and she says it's ok.

When we get to the Mall, we head to Victoria's Secret. I look around at some things, but I don't really have any money to spend on this kind of stuff. However, both Jessie and Andrea are looking for gifts for their boyfriends who go to Chelsea University. Andrea picks this black "merry widow" with garters and everything to try on. All of a sudden my cotton matching bra and panty sets seem very little girlish. Jessie hands me a black lace wonder bra and panties set to try on. She says "I bet Chris Miller would like to see you in this."

I agree to try on the outfit, but in the dressing room, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. I do like Chris, and I like being his girlfriend, but all we've done is kiss a little, the idea of picking out lingerie for him is just too weird, but I don't want to seem like a prude. I just tell Jessie when I come out that it didn't fit. She and Andrea are ready to buy their stuff and move on.

Andrea's hungry so we go to the food court. When we are there, Jessie and Andrea's boyfriends appear. They want to take Jessie and Andrea to go hear some band over at the campus. They half heartedly offer to take me along, but I can tell they don't want me to go. Plus, Danny and Lindsay would kill me if I went off with some college guys when I'm supposed to be at the mall. I tell them to go on without me, that I'll be able to find a ride home.

Once they have all gone, I sit and finish my fries. I guess I'll have to call Danny and Lindsay. I think they are going to be pissed although, not so pissed as if I had gone off with those guys though. Neither Danny or Lindsay answers, which isn't a good sign. They always answer. If they don't answer they are either way out of range or in the middle of something huge. I guess I'll try Megan, but I kind of scared of that. I don't want her to get mad at Andrea and Jessie because then they will think I'm a snitch. Megan doesn't answer her cell phone either. So I try Danny and then Lindsay. No answer. Then I think that maybe Megan's at home and doesn't have her cell phone on. So I try her home phone. Don answers, I really didn't expect that, I ask if I can talk to Megan, when he says that she and Kathleen are out on Staten Island getting last minute wedding fittings, I guess he can hear the stress in my voice.

"Anna, I can tell something's wrong. What's up?"

"Um, I'm kind of stuck at the mall with no way home and I can't reach Danny or Lindsay."

"Yeah, I think Danny and Lindsay are pretty tied up. Listen, I'll come get you and you can tell me the whole story ok. I'll meet on the benches by the TIG Friday's in about half an hour okay?"

"That would be great Don. Thanks!"

**Don's POV**

Before I get in the car, I call dispatch to see if they can get me a location on Danny and Lindsay. Something's up with Anna and I don't want them to worry. Apparently, they were sent upstate after something and appear to be in a cell dead spot. I call Danny and leave him a message telling him that some how Anna got separated from her friends and that I'm going to go get her. I ask him to let me figure out what's up before he calls and starts interrogating her.

As I drive over to the mall, I try to think through a plan. It sounds like there could be crying and I hate crying. I don't want to come down hard on Anna. I want to get the story out of her. My spidey senses are tinkling. These senses have made me a bunch of collars over the years so I pay attention to them.

I get to the mall, park and head over to where I said I'd meet Anna. Before she sees me I can tell, I have a dejected teenage girl on my hands. This is so much more Megan's area than mine. Then I decide I'll take a lesson from my ma's book and start by feeding her.

"Hi there kiddo," I say to Anna. The dejected look goes away and I see a bit of a smile.

"Megan's gone and abandoned me to do wedding stuff, so let's get some dinner. Danny and Lindsay got sent upstate for something so they aren't going to be back for dinner."

Pretty soon we are seated in the restaurant and Anna's gone off to bathroom. I continue to plan my approach. As she comes back I can see that she's had some time to collect herself.

Anna sits down at the table and says, "You probably want to know why I dragged you out here?"

"Well, that would be nice, but you know your folks, Megan, and I, we'll always come and get you right?"

"Yeah, I know. I was here with Jessie and Andrea. Jessie's mom dropped us off and Andrea's mom was going to pick us up. Lindsay said it was o.k. We were going to do some Christmas shopping."

"You mean Jessie and Andrea, the seniors, from the soccer team?" I ask. I don't think I like where this is going. Megan thought Jessie and Andrea were nice enough girls, but allowed to get away with anything by their parents and they were dating guys at Chelsea University.

"Yeah," says Anna. "We were having fun, but then met up with their boyfriends, who wanted to take them to a show on campus tonight. They offered to take me along, but I could tell they didn't really want me to go. Besides, I figured Danny and Lindsay would kill me for that, so I said I'd get another ride home. I felt like kind of a baby though."

"You did good, kiddo. Danny and Lindsay would have been furious if you had gone off with these college guys you didn't really know. And they would have been right. Your friends were being creeps."

"I know, I just kind of felt like a baby. It wasn't just that it was well other stuff . . ."

"What other stuff?"

"Stuff, I don't think you want to talk about with me. Boy stuff."

"Look, Anna, I can totally understand if you want to have this conversation with Lindsay or Megan, but really there isn't anything you can't tell me."

"Well, it's just like we went into Victoria's Secret and they were looking for Christmas gifts for their boyfriends. They even suggested that I get something that Chris might like, but our relationship isn't like that. It just seemed like too much and kinda scary."

"I think it seemed scary and too much because it was too much. You are only 14. You've got lots of time to grow up. I think Jessie and Andrea are too young to be picking out lingerie as gifts for their boyfriends. Nothing against your friends, but the college guys who pick-up high school girl, they usually aren't the sharpest or most mature guys there are. Now, that's not universal and I'm not talking about couples that had already been going out. I also think that real friends would have made sure you had a way home before they left you. Why don't we split dessert? This chocolate brownie Sunday thing looks really, really good."

**Anna's POV**

Don was pretty cool about picking me up at the Mall. I'm glad he thought I did the right thing and wasn't being a baby. Danny and Lindsay are stuck in some upstate snow storm so he dropped me off at Megan's for the evening. Then he got called back into work. Something about a suspect being picked up and needing to do an interrogation. Now if only I can avoid being interrogated too thoroughly by Megan. I feel a little like a tattle tale, but I'm sure Don will tell her anyway.

**Don's POV**

I finally managed to close a case that's been nagging me for awhile. As I'm sitting here finishing the paperwork, I notice that there are two girls in Georgetown Prep uniforms sitting by different desks looking scared. I realize then that's its Jessie and Andrea. I decide to go ask what's going on. It turns out that the guy they were riding with, one of the boyfriends, I assume, got pulled over for driving erratically and was of course drunk. Since they are minors and had obviously been drinking, they got to wait at the station for their parents to come pick them up. They also get to spend two Saturdays with a parent or guardian at alcohol issues awareness education. I agreed to babysit the girls and talk to the parents while I finished paperwork. Anna really dodged a bullet tonight.

**Megan's POV**

Well, the last of the wedding and bridesmaid dress details are taken care of. It's nice to have that out of the way.

Anna's working on her homework in the dinning room and being surprisingly quiet about her afternoon. I guess she doesn't want to tattle on Andrea and Jessie too much. I'm glad she talked to Don, but I didn't get all the details from him. I can't say I'm sorry that Anna might not be hanging out with Jessie and Andrea; they try to be a little too old for their age and don't get much supervision because their parents think they can do no wrong.

**Lindsay's POV**

I hate being stuck upstate. I mean being in a hotel alone with Danny is nice, but I'm frustrated that I couldn't take care of Anna today. Maybe I shouldn't have let her go, but it seemed harmless. Thank goodness for Don and Megan. I don't think we could do a better job of surrounding Anna with "family" if Danny and I had moved to Montana. Not that it would have happened.

"Come here, Linds," says Danny as he pulls me to him. "You aren't worried about Anna are you? She's fine. This is the kind of thing that kids go through growing up."

"I know Danny, I just feel like I'm not there when she needs me. She gets Don and Megan instead."

"Montana, I think you missed a couple of spectacular moments, but it's the day in and day out stuff that matters most. You are a great mom," said Danny. "And speaking of being a mom, you didn't start a new pack of pills on Sunday did you? So next time we'll be playing without a net? You still cool with that?" asked Danny all at once.

My generally smooth, calm husband was nervous. That was something new. I hope he hadn't changed his mind. I really want another child, a baby.

"I didn't start a new pack of pills, so yes we'd be playing without a net, but I'd be surprised if I was ovulating yet. I started taking the pill in college so that's lots of years. I'm still excited about having a baby, but if you are unsure, we can wait some more," said Lindsay.

"Linds, I absolutely want this. I was a little afraid that you might have changed your mind, since you haven't talked much about this," replied Danny.

"I'm sorry that I made you feel that way. I just don't want to get my hopes up too high right away. It might take us awhile and I don't want every month to be a roller coaster," said Lindsay.

"Hey," said Danny, "It will be fine. I guess we need to remember to talk to each other."

Then Danny began to kiss the back of my neck. I rolled over to face him. We spent the longest time just making out like teenagers, although I have to say that hotel bed was much more comfortable than a hay loft or a sleeping bag in the bed of a truck. Finally, I took matters into my own hands and pulled off my top. That had the intended effect on Danny. Things heated up quickly.

Later that evening, the last thing I remember is being curled up with Danny, thinking how happy I was before I drifted off to sleep.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

**Megan's POV**

I'm sitting in the Parish Hall which is all decked out in white streamers with wedding themed decorations everywhere. It's a little tacky, but the girls had fun decorating it. With a little guidance the girls have thrown a nice luncheon. Now it comes time for the part I was dreading. The presents.

Lindsay sits down next to me and offers to record who gives me what and all that stuff. However, Hannah and Anna sit on the other side. They announce they will be making a "bouquet" of the ribbons for use in the rehearsal. And they remind everyone that for every ribbon I break unwrapping presents, Don and I will have one child. Lindsay leans over and says "Sorry, someone else approved this."

I'm handed a very well wrapped package. Of course I have to start out by breaking the bow. Both my Aunt and Maura Flack smile widely and laugh. I manage to get by with breaking only three bows total. Hannah and Anna turned all the bows and a paper plate into a very interesting looking "bouquet."

I guess this shower hasn't been too bad. The girls had fun and Lindsay had prevented anymore games. No toilet paper wedding dresses or anything like that!

**Don's POV**

"Good game, Dan. Next time, however, I'm going to kick your ass."

"Whatever, Don. Let's go get a slice," said Danny.

So, Danny and I walked over to Ray's from the Y where we had been shooting hoops. We place our orders and our sodas and find a table.

"You think the girls are having fun?" asks Danny.

"Which ones? Lindsay and Megan? No. My mother and Megan's Aunt? Yeah, probably. Anna and her friends? Of course," I answer.

"At least, they left us alone," says Danny.

"Hey, Danny," I say. "I wanted to talk to you about Anna and the mall thing."

"We really appreciate that. Lindsay felt really horrible that we weren't around."

"No problem, Danny. Megan and I consider her to be like one of our nieces. I just think you and Linds should be careful about letting her hang out with those girls."

"What do you mean? Leaving her at the mall was pretty crummy, but kids don't always think," asked Danny.

"Well, the girls ended up at the station later that evening. One of the boyfriends was driving drunk and the girls had been drinking too," I said.

Danny grimaced.

"Plus, when I talked to Anna, she was still kind of shaken up, so I think I got stuff out of her that she might not have said later. Her friends were picking out Victoria's secret stuff to give their boyfriends for Christmas. They suggested Anna get something to get Chris's attention. She said it made her uncomfortable. When she told me, she looked real uncomfortable and maybe kind of scared. So, I just don't think those girls are good for her. She's so young. You know."

"Oh believe me, I know," said Danny. "I'll definitely let Lindsay know. I just can't believe some of this. I feel like some of the girls are so much more aggressive than they were when we growing up. It's not like I want Anna to be stuck in some kind of 50s double standard. It just seems like too much."

"Yeah, I know. When, I was in high school my ma was always on me to behave like a gentleman and she insisted my sisters behave like ladies. Some of it was sexist bullshit, but some of it, might have been ok . . . . oh, crap?"

"What?" asked Danny.

"Danny, since you were a teenager, which girl made you show you were serious before she went to bed with you?"

"Lindsay. But I still don't get where you are going."

"Danny, Megan was that girl for me."

"Yeah, so? That's why you are marrying her isn't it? Crap, I see where you are going with this. But Don, they had boyfriends before us, I mean I know Lindsay did, and while there weren't lots of guys there were guys."

"Yeah, there were guys for Megan too, but they were always relationships with potential. So basically we want any daughters we have and Anna to avoid guys like us, and we need to make sure that any sons we have don't become guys like us," said Don.

"So how do we do that? I mean I already pretty much told Anna that any guy who treats her like I treated most women before Lindsay doesn't love her," said Danny.

"That's probably a start. Megan and Lindsay are smart, they can probably tell us. Plus, there's probably stuff in those books that Megan reads about adolescent development."

"Yeah, Lindsay made me read some parts of books about teenage girls when Anna first came to live with us. They had some useful stuff in them. Stuff about how she needs to see how healthy relationships work. I certainly didn't get that at home."

"My folks had a good relationship, but it seemed to me that it was all about raising a houseful kids. I never wanted that. I mean I want a couple of rugrats, but not a baby every 18 months or two years. I don't think my parents ever went out alone together after Tony was born until Kathleen was in grade school. They had been married like 15 years at the point and Tony came the second year of their marriage. I want some time with Megan," said Don.

"Maybe that's what we have to show them. At least we've probably got awhile before we've got to raise sons that aren't like we were," said Danny.

**Anna's POV**

The shower today was so much fun! Megan got some really nice stuff. It kind of made me wonder what it would be like to be the bride. I know it's not very likely to happen, but I kind of had this picture in my head of being Chris's bride. I know it's silly, but it was kind of nice too. I don't think I'll tell him about it though.

Seeing the whole team together, made me miss Jenna. I know she went to live with her aunt and uncle somewhere in Connecticut, but that's all. Maybe I could write her a letter. I mean I don't understand everything that happened to her, but I do understand losing your parents and having to go live your aunt and uncle. Maybe Aunt Lindsay can get me her address.

**Danny's POV**

"Hey Lindsay, where's Anna?" asked Danny.

"She's over at the Millers for dinner and to spend the evening. I talked to Jen Miller and Chris's older brother will bring her home by midnight. His girlfriend lives near here and he's got to take her home."

"I can't imagine Louie driving one of my girlfriends home. Are you sure that's the deal?"

"Yes, I'm sure. Jason doesn't have to pay for the gas or insurance on the car if he does errands for his parents and drives his brother around. Megan says he's a nice boy."

"Well good, because I need to talk to you about Anna."

"What's up?" asked Lindsay.

"Well Flack and I were hanging out today and he filled me in on the adventure at the mall. He doesn't think we should let Anna hang out with those girls. They ended up at the police station. One of the boys was driving drunken and the other had all been drinking too."

"Well what should we do?" "Forbid her to see them?" "Won't that just make her more inclined to want to do?"

"Normally, I'd agree with you," said Danny "but according to Flack the girls made her uncomfortable earlier by suggesting she buy lingerie to wear for Chris."

"What? She's too young. Way too young. And she told Don Flack about this?"

"Linds, Flack thinks she was shook up enough that she didn't think too much about it. She told him it made her uncomfortable, that her relationship with Chris wasn't like that. So anyway, I think if we find a reason to say know when she asks to go out with these girls she'll be okay with it. Not that she can't see them, but find some reason to say no. I don't think she feels comfortable, but she doesn't want to feel like a baby."

"Did you and Don figure that out yourselves? I'm impressed. You are a great father and Don will be one too."

"Thanks Lindsay! Don and I came to an alarming conclusion earlier. We realized until we met you and Megan that we were guys that we'd never want out daughters to date and that we don't want our sons to be. You and Megan are going to have help us with them because we're clueless."

"You guys shouldn't be that hard on yourselves. I think we'll be fine. I think we will show our kids a model of relationships that will help out with that."

**Megan's POV**

"Hey babe, it smells great," says Don as he walks in the kitchen door. He comes up behind me while I'm standing at the stove stirring spaghetti sauce and kisses the top of my head. "How was the shower?"

"I survived. The girls had a wonderful time. So did my aunt and your mom."

"That's good. Danny and I had a good game and realized that without you and Lindsay we'd be screwed as parents."

"Well, of course! No, seriously, Don, you will be a great father and Danny is a great father."

"Thanks, Megan. I agree Danny is doing a great job with Anna, but we both realized that we don't want our kids to approach relationships the way we did before you and Lindsay."

"It'll be fine Don. I think knowing you want something different for your kids is half the battle."


End file.
